Just A Banished Fairy
by oncer448
Summary: I was once a fairy. I am hated for something that I am not responsible for. I eventually got banished. I am forced to live in the Enchanted Forest where all odds are against me surviving. But I then got kidnapped for reasons that I am determined to know why. But most importantly, I am determined to escape.
1. Chapter 1: The Hearing

Chapter 1: The Hearing

"Are you nervous Ella"? my mother asked. I am in a holding cell with my mom. I was to be held there until the hearing. Normally, me and my mother hardly agree about the same things. It might be because she is a pure fairy and I am a half fairy. Meaning that I have a human father who I never meat. My mother never talks about him. She says that it was a mistake she made years ago and I'm the only good thing that came out of it. But right now, we are both nervous, also unusual for us both to have the same emotions. Don't get me wrong, I love my mother, but she seems to hardly understand me.

Today is my hearing. Honestly, I don't feel guilty for what I did. I casted a spell on another fairy, Lavender. The spell was to make her mute for about ten minutes. But using magic for harm is a big offense.

 _Years ago. First day of Fairy classes. There were about twenty other girls (there is no such thing as fairy boys) besides me. It was in a modern-day classroom with desks and all that kind of stuff. None of us looked over the age of six. Lavender was there with her perfect, blond curls. When she saw me, her nose struck up like she smelled something fowl. "Do you smelled that"? she said loud enough for all the other girls to hear. "I smell a half-human". I felt very upset, but I didn't want to show her the satisfaction of getting to me. So, I got to the desk that said Ella and sat there._

 _"Hi", I looked up and there was a girl with black hair with hazel eyes and clear skin and had a pretty smile. "My name is Peony". I looked up and smiled back". "My name is Primrose nice to meet you", I shook her hand. Not two seconds later another fairy who I learned later is named Jasmine." Snatched her hand and said "don't touch her! Why"? Asked Peony "because she is half human", she said in a nasty tone giving me a mean look. "That's wasn't very nice" said Peony defending me. Jazmine looked shocked and left. "Thanks for defending me" I said. "That's what friends are for", said Peony. Wait, did she just say friend? Did she really mean that?_

It felt like forever waiting for me to be called to see Blue. I didn't realize how nervous I was until I saw I was fiddling with my watch. The watch, the only thing I know about my dad. For what I overheard from the other grown fairies is that my dad begged to my mother to let me have this watch. Blue finally made me mother let me have my watch. Maybe he was hoping one day I will find him using this watch.

"They are ready for you". I look up and see Zinnia, Blue's helper. I walk in the Justice room with my mom. There was Blue floating about. I look around to see that every fairy didn't want to miss this. It's not often a fairy gets in trouble. Not like this. But stealing fairy dust is a serious crime here in Cloud Kingdom (Yes, the fairies do live in the clouds.)

Blue's voice brought me out of thought when she said "Ella, daughter of Galena is here

today because she has been accused of using magic to harm another fairy, Lavender."

"She deserved it," I mutted. Thankfully, the only person who noticed me is my mother who gave me a look. When Blue was done, she called up Lavender, who gave me a smirk while passing by. Lavender do tell us what happened the day with Ella", said Lavender's mother who was very high in the fairy static. "Well" said Lavender in an innocent voice. "It was just a normal day in lessons, I was working on the project, minding my own business, and then she," Lavender then points her finger at me. "She casted that mute spell on me,"!

"Thank you Lavender, you may be go." When she went by mean, I could have sworn I saw a smirk. "Ella please come forward." I didn't want to admit it, but I am nervous. I stepped forward "Please tell me…" I spoke the truth the whole time. I mean this was a big deal to me not lying because of the fact whenever I get in trouble, I usually lie to get out of trouble.

I glanced at Peony, she gave me a sad glance." Great", I thought "even my best friend thinks that I'm going to be banished.

My mom went over, giving me hug and a cookie. I gasped. After she meet my father, she never was the one to EVER break roles. Ever. She puts her finger over her lips and handed me the cookie. I started munching as she came closer so only I can hear her. "Dear, why did you do it,"?

"Because," I start. "I'm tired of being treated like rubbish! I am not mad that I am half-human, I am mad because I am treated like I am the worst thing ever, because I am one."

Before we can talk anymore, Peony came toward us. She wasted no time to give me a hug. "Don't worry," whispered giving a smile. "We will be able to get you out of this". Wait. Did she say we? Does that mean there is someone who believed in me?

An hour slowly passed away. Of course, a fairy is always on time no matter what happens. Well, at least that's what Blue claims. Because of that, the room became filled again in less than five minutes.

"Ella, please come forward," Blue said. "I have talked to the other high fairies and we agreed that it would be best", she takes a deep breath," to take your magic, you are no longer a fairy. I'm sorry". You are thenceforth banished." My mom let off a gasped. Peony shouted "that's not fair,"! Peony's mother was quick to grab her, and they both left the room.

"Everyone is to leave this room except for Ella and her mother". Everybody did what they were told and quicker then thunder, everyone was gone. Blue and my mother came to me, both had sympathy looks on their faces. "Primrose this is how things will work," Blue began. "I will take away your magic, including your wings. Then I will give you clothes of your choice." She says as if this will give my comfort. "You will be given food, blankets, and little things that will help you for a little while. After that, I'm sorry but you're on your own."

"But she is only a child," my mother whispered. "To the humans she will be twelve. That's not old enough for her to survive on her own. What she did was childish, but children make mistakes."

"I'm sorry", says Blue, it has to be done this way." Your daughter knew the consequences for what she did."

"We should get started." Said Blue breaking the awkward silence. "Anyone you want say goodbye to? This will be your last chance to see your mother and friends ever again." "Actually," I said "Peony," I whispered.

A few minutes later I saw Peony. Her eyes full of tears, I don't know I am not crying. She gave another hug "It will be boring without you," she whispers. I know that was a lie. Everybody else enjoyed life here. Everybody but me that is.

After a few minutes Blue told Peony that she needs to go. Peony did what she was told. Honestly, I understand Blue is in charge and all. But why does nearly everyone follow her without complaining?

It was my mom's turn. She gave me a light hug telling me to be brave. She told me that she is sorry for the way she treated me. I can tell she is telling the truth.

That made me wonder, did she have an encounter with a pirate? Was my father a pirate? "Times up," said Blue. "It's time to bring you to the ground." My mother gave me one last hug before me and Blue go teleported to the grown.

I have been on the ground twice in my life. Both were for lessons on how the human world works.

"What would you like your clothes to be like"? asked Blue. I looked down, I don't think a sparkly blue dress will help me survive this world I thought. "A simple shirt with pants please." Blue glared at me like she can't believe what I was saying. "And hiking boots," I added. Right after I said that, I felt energy suddenly drained from me. She just took my magic. I looked down and there was a simple brown tunic with pants. There was also a bag, filled with bread, clean water, cheese, and a blanket.

"Thanks," I said I looked around, Blue was nowhere to be found. So, I found a road and started walking.

* * *

Hey! Thanks so much for reading! The main ouat cast will be coming in the story. Ella will not be an over powerful character in this story. But she will not be weak either.


	2. Chapter 4: The Pied Piper

"To Rumpelstiltskin"! a man shouted. "The brave man who ended the ogre war"!

Every man and women in the tavern lifted their drinks to praise the dark one. They are celebrating the war that ended yesterday.

I should be happy, I should be glad that this dark one has goodness and ended the ogre war, saving hundreds of lives… including mine.

Yes, I do have a feeling, but what is it?

I look over at the other kids, laughing and playing with each other. Now I know what I'm feeling, loneness and jealously.

These past three years, I have meet many people. But no friends.

A small group of boys are laughing hard at one of their friend's jokes.

Reminds me of me and Peony.

Speaking of Peony…. I pull out of my pocket a friendship bracelet.

 **Flash Back:**

"Ok…...," I said giggling. "What do you want to do next"?

"Ooh…... I know! Let's make friendship bracelets"! Peony replied.

The bracelets are simple and didn't take too long to make. But to us, they are priceless.

"Now everyone will know that we are best friends"! says Peony.

I couldn't be happier.

 **End of flashback.**

I pull the friendship bracelet out of my pocket. On the day of my "15th" birthday, (Or the day that I turned physically and mentally fifteen.) I reached into my pocket and found my bracelet. I know Peony was responsible for this. This doing, is strictly against the fairy law, if she gets caught, she will be banished. No fairy objects can be given to a banished fairy. The only possession I could bring was my watch. This is because it is a human possession. No magic, no symbols, nothing that prove that I was a fairy. I know why she did it, she's letting me know, wherever I am, and whatever the situation is, I will always have a friend.

Even if she is thousands of miles above me.

I made sure that even when the soldiers searched me, that the bracelet was not found.

I bring my focus back to the tavern. I should probably leave soon. I don't know why I even came to the celebration. Maybe it was because it is because I haven't gone to a party in years. Maybe I thought it could lift my spirits. Being alone for the past three years, did something to me. Well I wasn't exactly alone, there were other travelers, hunters, and marketers I would meet. I thought I could make a few friends, but what I learned, people will betray and stab your back…. if you give them that chance. I learned never to give people that chance.

I miss being able to trust somebody.

Before I left, I saw young teenager boy talking and smiling at the dark one. The boy turned his head and makes eye contact with me.

He smiles at me, and I smile back.

Then I head toward the door and walk out.

 **Two Weeks Later:**

"That will be ten of your rabbits," the seller said.

I have moved back to my "normal" life. Back to hunting, trading, and not staying more than one to two nights at the same place.

Right now, I'm trying to trade for a pair of boots. The ones that I am wearing right now, are so used, that you can see my toes. And this man, is trying to cheat me. I hunted twelve rabbits, and I probably could get a better price somewhere else, but this man needs to be taught a lesson.

"It's not worth more than four"! I said loudly enough for everyone to hear.

My plan works, nearly everyone nearby, turned and glared at either me or the seller. The seller blushes and hands me the boots for four of my rabbits.

"Thank you," I say sarcastically.

The seller gives me a mean look. If looks could kill, I would be in the underworld right now.

I have been hunting more than usual. I'm getting enough for an exchange to a trip to Arendalle. From what I know, the people in Arendalle are nice. I also know that they have warm summers, and snowy winters. I have never seen snow before in my life, and I was told that it snows in the Enchanted Forest! In the past three years, I haven't seen even a single snowflake! Seeing snow, is on my to-do-list.

I look the sky; the sun is starting to go down.

 _I better start looking for a place for the night._

After about a half a mile of walking, I found a grassy area to set up "camp".

I hear my stomach rumple.

 _Better get started on supper._

My supper tonight will be rabbit meat, and a few wild strawberries.

As I set up a fire, I hear leaves crunching, like something was stepping on them.

 _Probably a fox._

As the sounds gets louder, it's clear what is making the sound.

 _A human._

I stand up and went to grab my satch. There is no way that I'm going to get robbed.

 _I'll just have to find a new place._

Before I could grab my satch, the noise stopped. It feels like I am being watched. Very, very creepy feeling.

"Who's there,"? I ask, slowly turning around.

A minute later, a tall person walks up. I try to get a good look of this person, but it's too dark.

"Who are you"? I ask. "And why are you spying on me"?

"I'm just going to pretend you never asked that, and just get this over with," the person said.

 _That voice… it's a boy's voice._

"Get what over with,"? I ask.

The boy acts if I didn't ask that and plunges toward me, I take no time to start running. I have no idea were to, I just need to get away from this boy.

After a couple miles of running, I stop.

 _I probably lost him. People usually give up after a mile of running._

New thoughts enter my brain.

 _What in the world does that boy want from me? Is he trying to kidnap me?_

I reach for water from my satch, it took a second to realize that I am reaching into emptiness.

 _Darn, I left my satch at the campsite. Maybe I will go back for it later._

 _No, my life isn't worth it._

I reach into my pocket, I felt a relief.

 _At least I still have my watch and bracelet._

"I have to admit," said a voice. "This is harder than I expected it to be."

 _Oh darn!_

Before I know it, the boy grabs and pulls my long hair.

 _Gosh, I need a haircut!_

 _Stop thinking about your hair! You need to focus on fighting, then you can worry about cutting a haircut!_

I grab his hand and made it, so he is not grabbing my hair. Then I kicked his leg, forcing him on the ground. Before I could run, he grabs my ankle, making me fall. He got on top of me, with his hands still on my wrists. I lift my right leg up, and threw it over him, rolling over, making it so I'm atop of him. I putted pressure on his neck's pressure point. As soon as he loses conscious, I get up, and start running again.

I don't stop until I see the sun is about to rise.

 _Great, above losing my supplies, I have lost a good night's sleep._

 _Stop! You need to suck it up and move on! You know how to hunt, find clean water, and fight! Stop feeling sorry for yourself and start hunting!_

That thought made keep going. I fish for breakfast, I was able to fish out two fishes. After a fulfilling breakfast, I went back to hunting. If I ever want to go to Arendalle, I need to get back hunting. A ship ride doesn't pay for its self.

 **Two Days Later:**

I look at the sky, the sun is about to go down. Better start looking for a spot for the night.

 _And maybe tonight, I might actually get a good's night rest._

Before I could find an area for the night, I hear a noise. I feel the urge to follow the sound. The sound is haunting and addicting. It's something that I haven't heard in a long time.

 _Music._

Before I know it, I'm walking toward the base of the music. I try to turn back, but it seems like every tissue in my body, is being controlled by a force that isn't me.

After walking for half a mile, I see someone playing a flute. It is a boy wearing a hood.

 _Is he the same one who attacked me two days ago?_

When he sees me, he puts down his flute, and I instantly get back control of my body. I felt like running, but I need answers.

"Why am I here"? I ask.

"Now what fun would it be if I told you"? the boy responds with an odd voice. After saying that, the boy takes down his hood.

 _Nope, not him._

"I don't have time for a guessing game," I tell him.

He cocks an eyebrow.

 _I don't have time for this. If he isn't going to tell me anything, I might as well walk away. But if he works with other boy who attacked me two nights ago, will I ever get another chance to figure out what they want with me? Maybe I have to test him. I will walk away, if he stops me…_

I turn around and I start to walk.

Quicker than a snake, the boy grabbed my right wrist, stopping me.

 _How did he…...? Oh, he can teleport._

Than fear clouds my mind.

 _Only powerful magic users can teleport._

"I wouldn't try to get away," the boy tells me.

 _What's wrong with his voice?_

"And why not"? I ask hoping that he will spill some answers out.

"First," the boy replies. "I have magic. Second, even if me having magic isn't an issue, I have trained for years, learning how to fight with anything known to man, magical or not magical," he boasts.

"And how long have you known how to use a sword, Ella,"? he continues. "Two to three years"?

 _How in the world does he know my name, and how long I have known how to use a sword?_

I play stupid "Ellyia isn't my name," I said pronouncing my name wrong on purpose.

He smirks and replies, "playing stupid won't get you anywhere."

 _Darn it._

"Maybe you got the wrong person," I say still playing stupid.

"Just give up, Ella," he said. I gave him a confused look. "And yes, I know your other name too," he said with his smirk getting bigger.

 _Who in the world would tell him about me? The only people who know both of my names are the fairies. And fairies don't talk about banished fairies with humans._

"Ok, I said. "Say I am this Ella person, who are you? Was the boy who attacked me the other day working with? And what do you want with me"?

"Oh sorry," the boy says. "Did I forgot to introduce myself? I'm Peter, Peter Pan," he says proudly. "And to answer your second question, that boy who was sent to get you, he does work for me. I'm actually impressed, he was sent to get you, and you were able to get away," he said with amusement in his tone.

I wait for him to answer my third question, but no response.

"And for the third question"? I ask with an impatient voice.

"You will learn…. Eventually," Peter Pan replies.

"Fine…. Don't tell me. I'm leaving."

I slip out of his grip and I start running.

Before I can run ten feet, the boy teleports right in front of me.

"Get out of my way," I order him.

He ignores my order and says "I would love to stay and argue with you, but every minute I spend in this realm, is another minute that I get older."

"Sorry to break it to you," I say. "But it doesn't matter which realm you're in, everyone grows up.

"Not in Neverland," the boy says in a know-it-all voice. "You don't grow up at all; not in age, size, or maturity."

 _Either there is a realm that I don't know about, or this boy is crazy. And the theory about this boy being crazy, is more likely true._

"Well," I say. "If you're in such a hurry, then why won't you just leave already? You can go back to your life, and I can go back to mine."

"I do plan on leaving," Peter Pan says. "And you're coming with me."

"You're crazy if you think that I'm going anywhere with you," I tell him.

As soon as I said that, Peter Pan grabs my right wrist. I try to pull away, but I couldn't move my hand, no matter how hard I try. I try moving my other hand and feet, still, none of them will move. I try speaking, but whatever is keeping me from moving, is also preventing me from speaking.

When the boy sees that I am fully parallelized, he puts me over his shoulder, so my face is facing his back. Peter Pan then throws something in the ground. It's a few seconds for me to realize that he threw a magic bean.

About a minute later, I feel that both me and Peter Pan have landed on ground.

He takes me off his shoulder, and places me sitting me against a tree. I try to stand up, but I still can't move my legs.

I decide to try my head again, and it works.

 _At least I got back control of my head._

I take a look of my surroundings, I'm sitting on dirt, there is a bunch of trees of all sizes, so I am in a jungle _._

I look around again, except this time, Pan is gone.

 _If only I can control my whole body! I can run while his back is turned!_

I try to move any small part of my body besides my head; my fingers, toes, arms, but still, nothing!

About ten minutes later, Pan returned with two other teenaged boys. I immediately recognized one, he has messy dirty blond hair, and his face is covered with freckles.

 _It's the boy who chased me two days ago._

The other one is well built, he a dirty, round face. Both boys are wearing brown cloaks and have daggers hanging from their belts.

Pan comes to me and crouches down.

"I know what you're thinking," Pan tells me in a low voice so only I can hear. "But I warn you now, there is no escaping Neverland, not with _my_ permission."

 _I will escape you Pan, and the only disappointment I will have doing so, will be that I don't get to see the look on your face._

 **Thank ya'll for reading!**


	3. Chapter 6: The Lost Boys

I have been stuck on Neverland for four days. Peter Pan made is so that I can't leave his camp. There are always someone guarding the entrances to the camp. And I can swear there is always at least one watching me.

I am planning to escape the camp, but I'm waiting for the right moment, a time were Peter Pan and his followers will be distracted. There are six of them, including Pan, and one of me. But I do have an advantage, I know how to be sneaky, and I'm able to cover my tracks.

But a disadvantage is that Pan's followers are great trackers, and skilled fighters. I got lucky with one of them, but with six, including Pan, makes this difficult.

This is what I know; Neverland is an island and another realm, which narrows my chances of escaping.

Right now, I'm walking in circles around the camp. I don't know why, but walking is circles, always help me think.

"I'm sorry to disturb your walking," says a voice behind me. "But there is something I have to tell you."

As soon as I heard the voice, I knew it is Pan. I never called him Pan out loud yet, but I will someday. And when I do, I can't wait to see the look on his face. I notice the only thing that his followers call him is Peter Pan. I wonder if they think he is "too high" to have a nickname.

"What do you want,"? I ask without turning around.

"Tonight, I will be getting more lost boys and…,"

"Lost boys,"? I interrupt.

"That's what I decided to call the boys who come to the island" Pan says. "Has a nice ring to it, don't you think."?

 _Pan already has five boys who are following his every order, does he really need more?_

 _Whatever reason he is bringing in more boys can't be good._

"What about girls,"? I ask.

"What about them,"?

"I must not be the only girl you planned on kidnapping," I tell him. "And the "lost boys", were they given a choice to come? Or were they kidnapped like me,"?

Right after I said that, Pan's face changed. His face looks dangerous.

"Do you know why these boys are here,"? Pan asks. "I only take the boys who are unloved and lost."

"Then why did you take me,"? I ask. "I wasn't feeling unloved or lost."

"You may have a mask that covers your emotions," says Pan. "But you forget one thing, I know about your past. What your mother did to you when you were younger, is something that people don't just forgive and forget."

"You claim to know my past," I tell Pan. "But you have yet to prove it."

 _Well besides knowing my name._

Pan than looks me in the eye and says "your name is Ella, or as your mother sometimes calls you, Danya. You were a fairy and you were banished for a crime of "harming" another fairy. You are half-human, half-fairy. You were the only fairy who finished your talent training, but you were still in training for the other fairy stuff. You didn't start to get along with your mother until a few years before you were banished. Before that, she would mentally abuse you."

I fought the urge of tears. When he started to mention my mother, painful memories came back. Memories I have tried for years to forget.

Yes, my mother used to mentally abuse me. A few years ago, mother eventually realized mentally abuse would not get me anywhere. When she stopped, life started to get better _. I_ became better being a fairy, I got better with spells, I completed my medical fairy training. But it all shattered because I lost my temper.

But still, the same question is there. How does he know this?

"And don't even try to play stupid again," Pan tells me. "And to answer your question earlier, you will be the only girl on the island. Well, except for the mermaids."

I have never met a mermaid before, but I know they don't get along with fairies.

"And back to why I need to talk to you," says Pan. "I'm going to bring the lost boys with me to mainland."

 _That means I can escape._

"And I don't trust you," Pan tells me.

"That's great," I reply. "Because I don't trust you either,"!

"And because of that," Pan says. "You will be moved somewhere else until I return."

"Where is this somewhere else at,"? I ask.

Instead of answering, Pan waved his hand in front of my face, casting a spell.

A sleeping spell.

When I wake up, instead of trying to open my eyes, I try to stand up.

As soon as I try to do so, my head hit a hard ceiling. As soon as I open my eyes, I made a realization.

 _I'm in a cage._

A small cage made of bamboo sticks.

 _Who in the world does Pan think he is? You can't just lock someone in a cage!_

The cage suddenly swings for wind. I look around to see tree branches. I Look down;

 _Oh gosh! I'm hanging in a cage with_ _a thirty-foot drop!_

 _Think Anna, think!_

 _You know how to climb trees, you just need to hope Pan didn't find the small knives in my boots._

A while back, whenever I got a new pair of boots, which doesn't happen often. I would make a hidden, small area, right outside the boots. Just the right size to hold a small knife. I make it, so it looks like the boots were designed that way. So, if ever in a position like the one I am in now, it will come in handy.

I start to cut off a side of the cage, it is more difficult than I expected it to be. Bamboo isn't supposed to be that strong. After for what it seemed like an hour, the side of the cage was cut off.

I then start to swing the cage to get closer to a branch. During my first big swing, I start to get scared. I don't exactly have the fear of heights, but I do have the fear of falling. I was teased so much for being a fairy who is afraid of heights.

I also hate being in closed-in spaces. If it was dark, I would have a mental breakdown. The reason I have this issue is because sometimes as punishment, my mother would lock me in a dark closet. It was small, and sometimes I would be locked in for a whole day without any communication.

She did stop eventually, realizing that it did more harm than help.

After a few large swings, I suck up my fear, and I jump. My right hand was able to grab on the branch.

I try to get my left hand to grab the branch, but suddenly, my right-hand slips. And I fall.

Right before I hit the ground, without thinking, I grab a week branch with both hands. Five seconds later, I hit the ground.

 _If I didn't grab that branch right before I hit the ground, I would have died or got injured._

That thought scares me.

I slowly stand up, and I look around my surroundings.

I have never been in this part of the island.

I start to walk, I keep walking until I see a beach.

It wasn't the sight of the beach that stopped me, it was the sight of Pan with many more boys. Probably about three times the number of the ones that were already here.

I turn around, and I run the other direction.

Maybe I can find a cave or something to hide in. Not forever, but just long enough so I can find a way off Neverland.

I pass by many plants, but one catches my eye.

 _Is that dream shade?_

I might have only seen it from my mother's diaries, but the poison drizzling from the plants give it away. My mother described it as the poison that has no cure. She told me that she was not too worried about finding the cure because it only grows in one island. The island was place that you didn't end up in accident.

She wrote that there have been no cases of someone being poisoned by dream shade in her whole life.

I remember asking her once if she has ever been on this island before, she told me yes.

 _My mother has been on Neverland. How-_

My thoughts are interrupted by vines wrapping around my waist and wrists, pulling me ten feet into the air.

"I was going to let you out from your cage when I got back," a voice says. "But you decided to be rude and escape."

 _Pan._

I don't say anything.

"Oh Anna," Pan says. "What am I going to do with you,"?

"If I am so much trouble," I reply. "Then why don't you just let me leave,"?

Peter Pan doesn't reply, instead and raises his hand and the vines prompt me back on the ground. Before I could do anything, the vines quickly wrap itself around my wrists and ankles tightly.

As soon as I am secured, Pan picks me up and places me over his shoulder and starts walking.

The thorns on the vines are digging in my skin. I can feel the blood on my wrists and ankles.

Nothing happens until I hear someone say "what is a girl doing here? I thought this is a boy's only island."

"She wouldn't be here unless it is necessary," Pan responds.

And with that, no other questions are asked. But I tell that the boys are staring at me.

"Take her to the pit," Pan says to two lost boys. The two lost boys obeyed and grabs me. Both were dragging one arm each. I try to fight, but they were too strong. The vines wrapped around my wrists and ankles don't help either.

They drag me out of the camp.

After a while, I finally ask, "so, what is this pit exactly,"?

"A place that you will hopefully come to your senses," one boy responds.

And that's all that they gave me.

When I feel the boys stopping, one of them lets go of me, while the other grabs both of my arms. I want to use this opportunity to run, but the vines around my ankles makes that impossible.

The lost boy who let go of me, pulls something metal of the ground. And before I know it I am roughly shoved. I fall about six feet into a pit in the ground. And soon as I am in, something large is placed on the top. It isn't completely dark, the metal top leaves just enough sunlight.

 _This must be the pit._

 _Do they plan to just leave me here tied up?_

After what it seems like an hour. The metal top of the pit comes off. I look up to see Pan.

"I am not here to let you out, if that is what you're thinking," Pan tells me. "Those vines around your wrists and ankles look very uncomfortable."

As soon as he said that, I feel the vines disappear.

Then the metal top is placed back on.

I stand, and I try to jump to reach whatever is blocking the light, but no avail.

 _Of all times to be this short._

I honestly don't know how tall I am. But if I must guess, maybe 4'8. I'm just glad I have a bunch of growing to do.

I squat down, and I touch the ground. I can't see the ground, so I am relying on my touching sense. I feel leaves, dirt, and sticks.

I look around to see that the pit was hand dug.

The pit is just big enough for me to lie down straight.

 _Rather this than the cage._

 _What am I saying? All prisons of any sort are bad._

Pain interrupts my thoughts. My wrists and ankles are bleeding. I tear off parts of sleeves to cover my wrists and ankles. But most of the pain is still there.

I sit down and wrap my hands around my knees.

Then I do something that I haven't done in a long time. I cry.

I cry because I am trapped, and I don't know what to do.

I don't remember falling asleep. I just know I am woke up by the noise of the metal on top of the pit being moved.

Something gets throw down and the metal gets put back in place.

I pick up what's thrown down. A banana, stale bread, and container of water.

I didn't realize how hungry I am until I see the food. Before I eat and drink, I check the food to see if it was drugged. It looks ok. I take a bite of the bread, it might be stale, but since I'm hungry, it tastes like heaven.

The water is a relief with my scorched throat.

When I'm done eating, I try to reach the top of the pit again.

Still no avail.

After hours of starring at the whole, I lay down and try to go to sleep. But there is a noise that keep is keeping me awake. It sounds like crying. I stand back up trying to hear the sound better.

It is crying.

If I am not mistaken, it sounds like children.

Must be the new boys. All the old boys seem to be happy in Neverland.

I am guessing that Pan lied, I bet he took the boys against their will.

I decide not to think about that anymore, I lay back down. It is a cold night and I don't have anything like a blanket to cover me. I huddle up, and after a while, I finally can sleep.

…

For the next two weeks, it's the same thing each day; wake up, eat, talk to whoever is guarding, see how high I can jump, throw rocks at the walls, talk to whoever is guarding, listen to the crying, and go to sleep on the hard grown. Which makes sleeping difficult. I got fed one to two feels a day.

There is always a lost boy guarding. I see him when I am given food. Whoever it might be, he tries to make a conversation every day. The conversations that we have are actually pretty nice. I realize that most of the boys are not that terrible. Maybe is just Pan who is terrible and the Lost Boys do what he says under fear. I did try to ask about the crying at night, that is one subject that none of the boys like to get into.

I also learned that what Pan said about these boys being unloved is true. Either that, or everyone here is a good liar. A few of the boys told me about their past. Their backgrounds are sad. Most were abused. Neverland must have sounded like a safe haven to them.

Sooner or later, all the boys who guarded me asked what they should call me, I told them to call me Rose. They ask questions about my past. I don't give them the exact truth. For an example; one boy, I think his name is Mathew. He asked where I am from. I told him the Enchanted Forest. There is no way I am letting anyone know my past!

I can't help but wonder why Pan hasn't told any of the boys anything about me.

….

The next day, like every day, the metal on top of the pit opens. I expect to see one of the lost boy's to be giving me food. But instead, I see Pan.

"What do you want,"? I ask.

Pan responds, "I want to make a deal."

 **To be continued…**

 **I won't be able to update until next January or February.**

 **So, have a Very Blessed Christmas! And a Happy New Year! :D**


	4. Wendy Darling

"I want to make a deal," Pan says.

He's crazy if he thinks that he thinks he can make a deal with me, but I will let him talk. Only because of the fact that I am bored.

"Alright then," I say. "Spit it out."

"For one," Pan speaks. "I am sure you want to get out of the pit."

Fair enough point.

"And for two," Pan continues. "I am sure you want to keep your pass a secret."

"And what makes you so sure about that,"? I ask.

"In this past century," Pan begins. "There has been so much love and hate for fairies. And the lost boys, greatly hate the fairies."

"That's nice to know," I say in a sarcastic tone. " I might have been a half-fairy, but I don't have any magic. So therefore, you have nothing to hold against me."

Then there is a pregnant pause. I know Pan doesn't know a combat and is thinking hard for one. I couldn't help but smile at this.

"Yes, the part about having no magic might be true," Peter Pan says breaking up the silence. "But if being a fairy isn't bad enough. You are a half-human, half- magical creature. There is a lot more hate for you than any fairy living in existence."

"Fine, I will play your little game. Why would someone hate me for than a fairy,"? I say with a snarky tone.

"You don't know,"? Pan said laughing. "And I used to think you didn't have a sense of humor,"!

"Pan," I say coolly. "If you don't tell me what you know, then you're wasting my time. You might as well go."

 _Who am I kidding? He just probably got bored and decided to vex me to "cure" his boredom._

"You really don't know,"? Pan asks in a shocked tone.

"For someone who claims to know me, you really don't."

I look up to see Pan's face, for the first time. Even if he is standing a few feet above me, I can see that he has a surprised look on his face.

"So, what made the fairies decide to keep you innocent and hide you from the truth,"? Pan asks laughing.

"Alright,"! I say raising my voice. "Congratulations! I thought for a minute that you were actually series! But since you are laughing, you must be joking,"!

"You fairies really need to start having a sense of humor," Pan tells me snickering.

"I AM NOT A FAIRY,"! I shout at him.

"Of course, you aren't," Pan says in a _yeah, right_ tone. "But unfortunately, you are only _half_ right."

I feel my temper rising.

 _Calm yourself, he is just trying to get on your nerves. He is not worth losing your temper on._

"You have wasted not only my time, but yours also," I say. "You should leave."

"Why,"? Pan asks in an innocent voice. "Don't you want to know…...,"?

"I said leave."

And in a blink of an eye, Peter Pan left.

The only think I could think of is _What the heck?_

About a week later, I was let out of the pit. Pan never brought back the discussion from last week. My suspensions were probably right, he was just bored one day and decided to go and aggravate me. I think Pan thinks that I gave up on escaping. But he is wrong.

There is excitement in the air, I heard another child is coming to the island tonight. So, I decide to get in a conversation with one of the lost boys, Devin. He tells me the updates. Back when I was stuck in the pit, and me would have the most interesting conversations. He warned me about which boys I shouldn't mess around with. Top of that list is a boy named Felix. According to his description, he is tall, blond, and has a huge scar running down his face. I met him when I first came the island. But we only exchanged glances. Even through the title hasn't been given to him, everyone thinks him as Pan's second-in-command.

"So why is this person special,"? I ask Devin. He was telling me that someone is coming who might change out things run in Neverland.

"Like you, she is a girl," Devin responds. "You proved that girls have fight in them. So, Pan is going to see whether it's just you, are if any girl has what it takes to be a lost one."

"And if she doesn't,"? I ask.

"Well, I guess the only females will just be you and the mermaids," Devin responds. "And if this helps any, this girl will be from the realm without magic."

"Why there,"?

He shrugs, "we know about the girls from the lands with magic, but I heard that the girls from the realm without magic have more fight."

 _Well, I do know too many girls who would shrink over the littlest peck of dirt. Maybe this girl would be different._

"Alright, I got to go," Devin says standing up.

I stand up and walk around the camp. I see that there are still sentries guarding the camp. I know if I ever escape, there must be no more than a few lost boys guarding the camp. I don't know if there will ever be a time that will happen.

Most of the lost boys have only been here for a few weeks. I understand that Pan took these boys from their horrible lives, but still, why do have dying loyalty to him?

"Pan wants everyone in the front of camp right now." I turn around and I see Felix.

So he can speak.

When he sees that I am not moving, he walks up to me.

"I am not stopping you from seeing your precious leader," I tell the boy.

"He wants everyone to be there, and that includes you."

"I. Don't. Care." I tell Felix.

Felix smirks and lifts me with his hands and throws me over his shoulder. I kick my legs over him, falling on the ground, on my back.

I then hear a lot of snickering.

"Felix got outsmarted by the girl,"! I hear a lost boy say. I look around to see many boys bursting in laughing.

I look over to Felix who is also fell on the ground. He has a _I am going to kill you_ look on his face.

"I expect more from you Felix," Peter Pan's voice says.

 _Of course he would be here. He couldn't miss the "excitement"._

"Well since everyone is here," Pan announces. "I guess I will start. As many of you know, we are going to have a guest on the island tonight. And Anna," Pan says looking at me. "Be nice."

Then there goes another erupt of laughter. I admit, the past few days I have been very grouchy. The only one who I am somewhat nice to is Devin.

After everyone leaves, I start to come up with an escape plan.

 _Tonight, the lost boys might be distracted enough to not notice me. Then I can escape unnoticed. I will then find a haven for a little while, then I will go from there._

After waiting a long time, night finally came. And soon enough, the shadow came with a girl. The girl has blond curly hair, and she is wearing a white night dress. Her face has excitement on it.

"My name is Wendy Darling," the girl introduces herself.

Yep, she is one of those people who think their better than everyone else. I first could tell by the way she dressed. She proved my point by adding the _darling_ behind her name.

While I was thinking, the boys and Pan were getting acquainted with Wendy.

 _This is my chance._

I walk around the camp, and there are only two lost boys guarding.

 _Alright, it's now or never._

"You must be Anna," I hear a girl's voice say.

 _Oh shoot!_

I turn around to see Wendy Darling with a big smile.

"My name is…,"

"Wendy Darling," I interrupt. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

The girl looks stunned that I interrupted her.

"Pardon me," Wendy Darling said. "Did I say something rude,"?

 _You got to be kidding me! How on earth do I get out of this situation?_

"Excuse me," I say trying to find an excuse to leave. "I…... err … agreed to uh…. Hunt with Mathew, one of the lost boys."

Wendy looks at me with disbelief.

"Since I saw you for the first time a few minutes ago, I wanted to ask something," Wendy pauses like she is thinking whether she says might insult me.

"Go ahead, ask," I tell Wendy.

"Since you're a lady," Wendy points out. "Why are wearing pants? Why do you hunt? Why…,"?

"Ok, fine," I say after Wendy is finished. "Before I answer that, let me ask why not? I mean yes, I am a girl, but how does that stop me from wearing clothes that are comfortable. Why should that stop me for being able to take care of myself,"?

"Firstly, it's a _lady's_ job to sew, cook, clean, and take care of children. The hunting and protecting part is meant for men," Wendy points out.

"Well, I guess I'm good to go then." Right when I say that, Wendy gives me an odd look. "Because," I continue "I am not a lady."

"Every girl grows up to be a lady," Wendy says.

"How old are you,"? I ask.

"Fourteen," she responds. "Old enough to take on responsibility for being a lady."

"Look Wendy Darling," I tell her. "If you are ok being a perfect little lady, doing what your told to do, be my guest. But to be honest, I don't really care. I like the fact that I can gather my own food and run around without worrying about tripping."

"Are all la- girls," Wendy quickly changes the word. "Are all girls from the other magical lands like you? Wild and care free,"?

"The simple answer is no," I tell Wendy. "Not all, but most of the girls I have met are very _lady_ like."

I turn around and I start walking the opposite direction.

I know that I probably shouldn't have talked to Wendy that way. I guess that I am just upset that she stopped me from escaping.

It's has been a full day with Wendy, and it was bad. Wendy spent her day doing things like cooking, cleaning, and sewing. But at the same time, she got really disconcert whenever someone tried to talk to her. I think it is because "no one is treating her like the proper lady she is".

Right now, it is night. It was announced that Wendy was going to tell a story. Most the stories I have heard or read are depressing. I decided I would sneak in to here a bit of the story.

Wendy told a story about a girl named Cinderella. I know that story could totally happen. She is one of the lucky ones to get a fairy-Godmother who can balance her talent job and her fairy-Godmothering job. Meaning that her fairy-Godmother had the time to make her wish come true.

Some boys are interested. Some boys are bored. When Wendy was done, I sneaked by to my usual sleeping spot. It is just ground and a rough blanket. I know some of the boys have been building shacks and tents for themselves. I don't bother, I won't be staying long.

I hope.

After a few nights, the boys tried to teach Wendy how to fight.

It was a disaster.

She was too weak to hold a sword. She couldn't hold the lightest bow and arrow. She was too scared to hold a dagger or spear. The lost boys took her hunting, when they caught an animal, Wendy just burst into tears swearing that she will never eat meat again.

I hear leaves being crumbled behind me. I turn around to see Devin.

"She's leaving," Devin tells me.

"Wendy,"? I ask.

"No, John" Devin replies.

 _If it's John, then why did he say she?_

"Yes Wendy,"! Devin exclaims.

"Then why did you say John,"? I ask.

"You _really_ do need to get a sense of humor," Devin says.

I roll my eyes.

"So, tell me, why is she leaving,"? I ask.

"Because she is weak and a crybaby," Devin answers. "She is not like you."

I raise my eyebrows.

"You know that the lost boys don't like you," he explains. "But you won't go down without a fight. Honestly, if you weren't so stubborn, you would make a great lost one."

"Wouldn't it be lost girl,"? I ask.

He shrugs, "I like the sound of "lost one" better."

"Will you go hunting with me,"? Devin finally asks.

"Why me,"? I ask.

"Because your fun to talk with," Devin replies.

I don't know whether he means that, or if it's because I can be gullible sometimes. Pan lets me out of the camp if I am with one of the older lost boys. This could be my chance to escape, but I don't want to get Devin in trouble because of me.

I could ask him to run with me.

 _No, Devin is loyal to Pan. For all I know, he is probably only being nice to me to make sure I don't leave._

"Alright then, I'll go," I tell Devin.

Hunting with Devin was kinda fun. Like me, he uses traps. But unlike me, he uses spears. I would like to learn someday how to use one. What stopping me is the fact that I have a terrible aim.

I only hunt a days' worth of food for myself.

Right now, I am sitting on a log, by a fire, skinning a rabbit.

"You really do hunt," I hear a voice behind me say.

"Yeah, I do," I reply. "And I thought you left."

"I want to ask you something," Wendy Darling tells me.

"Go ahead," I reply without looking at her.

"They are making me leave, why are they letting you stay,"? Wendy asks me.

"Wendy," I say now making eye contact with her. "Trust me when I say that I am here against my own will. Be glad that you are leaving."

"But this story is supposed to have a happy ending," Wendy insists.

"Wendy," I say with a stern voice. "I know that you believe that good always wins, and there are such things as happy endings. But in this world, there is none. If there is, there is very few. Go back to the Realm Without Magic. You would be much happier there."

Wendy says something so quiet, I couldn't hear her.

"What was that,"? I ask.

"The real reason I came is because there were no adults to tell you what to do," Wendy finally says.

"That might be true," I admit. "But you would have Peter Pan as your leader. Pick your poison."

"Do you miss your family,"? Wendy asks me.

"I don't have one," I reply.

 _Unless you count Abigale._

"I'm sure that is not true," Wendy said. "Everyone has a family."

"Not me," I tell her. "Just be glad you're being let off the island."

"Why won't he let you leave,"? Wendy asks.

"Why don't you go ask him,"?

Then there is a pause.

"Well, I will leave you to your duties," Wendy finally said.

And with that, she left. And I went back to skinning a rabbit.

It's been three weeks since Wendy has left. Pan declared that no girl, unless under extreme circumstances, would be allowed to come to the island. And besides that, life on Neverland went back to normal.

What am I saying? Life on Neverland will never be normal.

It is crystal clear that I can't wait for there to be no sentries guarding the camp. According to Devin, Pan is trying to break me, make me lose hope. But I got news for you Peter Pan, I never had hope that someone would come and rescue me. I always knew that if I want to escape, it needs to be me saving myself. But maybe, just maybe, if I got Pan to _think_ that he broke me, then maybe he will lighten up on security. And then _maybe,_ escape will become possible.

But how long would that take? Plus I am not a good actor, he would just see right through me.

Then there is the other idea, I can go with an older lost boy hunting, then I will escape. But will my conscience let me do that?

"You ok,"? Devin asks interrupting my thoughts. "You look dazed."

"Yeah," I reply. "I am just thinking."

"You know what they say," Devin says. "It's dangerous a lady to think."

As soon as I gave him a look, Devin bursts out in laughing.

"How in the world do you people raise your eyebrows,"? asks Devin trying to raise his own eyebrows.

"I don't know," I reply. "I guess I was just born with the gift of raising eyebrows."

Devin's laugh only got louder.

"It must be some gift," Devin says still laughing. "I only know two other people who can do that."

"Who besides Peter Pan,"? I ask.

"Captain Hook," Devin replies.

"Who,"? I ask.

"You don't know who Captain Hook is,"?

"Would I ask **who** if I knew who he is,"? I reply.

"There have been pirates roaming the island for years," Devin explains. "Captain Hook is their captain."

 _Well duh, if you put captain on front of a person's name, you should assume that person is the captain._

"The real reason I came to talk to you is because something important is going to happen."

"What,"? I ask.

"There is a new boy coming tonight," Devin says.

"I thought you said you needed to tell me something important," I tell Devin slightly irritated.

"Thought you would like to know," Devin says.

Night came, and Pan sent Felix, and a few of the other lost boys to go receive the new boy. Apparently, the new boy didn't end up on the island, but on a pirate's ship. The lost boys come to back to tell Pan about the pirate captain not cooperating. But somehow like always, he foresaw this happening.

A week later, Felix and the lost boys went back to the pirate ship. But this time, they came back with the new boy.

They compare him to a face on some paper. Lucky for him, he isn't the boy Pan was looking for.

(Anna doesn't know this happened.)

I see a boy with dark, curly hair come into the camp looking scared. It a couple of minutes for me to realize; _this is the boy I made eye contact at the tavern after the ogre war._

The boy looks over to my direction. As soon as he sees me, his face makes a confused look.

 _Probably wondering what a girl is doing on Neverland._

The boy walks toward me but is stopped when a few boys stepped in front of him. They are probably going to talk to him about what it takes to be a lost boy.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	5. Can I Trust Him?

It's been a day since the new boy came. I discovered that the boy's name is Baelfire. I think I remember Wendy mentioning that name once or twice.

But if she did, it wouldn't make sense.

Didn't I see him a couple months ago at the celebration after the ogre war?

It doesn't matter I can think about that later, I believe I found a way out of the camp. I need to focus on that.

The hardest part is making sure that I don't look suspicious in any way. The escape plan needs certain plants. I convinced Devin to take me hunting today to grab what I need.

"Why are picking up those plants,"? Devin asks me.

I can tell by the way he asked that question that he is suspicious.

"Umm…. They are for making my clothes smell good," I quickly lie. "You mix it with water and it gives your clothes umm... a fresh smell."

 _I should have thought of an excuse for collecting these certain plants before I went hunting with Devin! This plant doesn't make your clothes smell good! It does the opposite!_

Devin gives me a weird look but says nothing.

"So," Devin says changing the subject. "Would you like to learn how to use a spear,"?

"I think I am happy with the skills I already know," I reply.

"I know you are good with hand to hand combats, but wouldn't you want to expand on your skills,"? Devin asks.

"Like I said, I am happy with what I already know," I reply.

Night came, finally! I spent the last two hours trying to be alone. I know if I talk to someone, they will notice the anxiety in my voice and know that I am planning something.

Tonight, was like any night here in Neverland, there is a party with a big bonfire.

I remember being asked by one of the lost boys why I don't celebrate with everyone else. I replied that I am not a party person.

This is true, the only times I get to celebrate is with the fairies is the yearly feast. Plus, the time when I finished my trade. There would have been other times for celebrations, but those celebrations are meant for when I got older.

The celebrations in Neverland are boring. All there is a big bonfire and many arm-wrestling matches.

I grab the plants I mixed together, and I threw it into the fire. The fire rose many feet higher than its usual size. I look around to see all the lost boys look scared and confused. I planned this firmly. The plants mixed in the fire will only make it rise enough to get every lost boys' attention. If there was any chance that the fire would seriously injure one of the lost boys, I wouldn't of done it.

 _Time to go._

I run out of the camp with anyone looking my way, and I don't look back.

I am not sure how much I ran when I stop to breath. I just know I can't take a long break. I know for sure that it won't take long for Pan to notice that I am not in the camp.

"Let me go,"! I hear someone shout!

 _Who was that?_

"Please let me go,"! the voice says again.

 _That voice isn't far away._

My curiosity got the best out of me, and I decided to see what the fuss was about. I walk a little, staying hidden within the trees, I see the new boy trying to fight off a lost boy. _What was his name? Forget that! Focus!_ I then place my focus to reality. I can tell that the boy has no fighting expertise. I turn around, and I started to quietly go the other way.

 _You can't just leave the boy to fend for himself!_ A voice in my head said. _It could, be a trick. Maybe he works for Pan, maybe this boy is trying is being used as "bait" to catch me._

I know I have to make a choice right now.

 _Why can't I decide?_

Before I know it, I shout "Hey! I am over here,"!

The lost boy let go of Baelfire, and charge toward me.

 _What was I thinking?_

I start running but I soon, I am half out of breath.

 _I have no choice but to fight him._

 _No, he will beat you. Your only chance of not getting captured is by outrunning the lost boy or hiding._

Before I could make my decision, I trip over a log.

 _That's what I get for not paying attention._

What's worse is that the lost boy is not that far behind me.

I try to think, but my mind is all over the place.

Being captured is not an option.

I know that if I am captured, I know Pan will make any other escape methods impossible.

What I feared happen next, my mind is telling my body to _stand up_ , but my body is not corresponding.

 _What do I do now?_

The boy calmly walks toward me. He probably knows that I am too frazzled to do anything.

I then see something creeping up behind the boy.

 _Wait._

Its not something, its someone. I can't this person face because he is wearing a hood over his head.

As soon as the hooded figure catched up with the lost boy, he takes out a rock and hits the boy's head with it.

As soon as the rock contacted the head, the lost boy collapses on the ground.

I just stay there in shock.

The figure unhooded his face.

Its Baelfire.

Why did he come back for me?

I look over to see the lost boy is still breathing. I feel a sign of relief. I don't know why, but if that boy died, I would have felt somewhat responsible for his death. Even I wasn't the cause of it.

I open my mouth to say something to Baelfire, but no sounds come out.

Baelfire walks over to me and offers his hand to help me up. As he offers his hand, my mind goes back to being focused.

Instead of taking his hand, I stood up using my own body support.

"Why did you do that,"? I ask with words finally coming out of my mouth.

"Why did you save me earlier,"? the boy asks.

"Why are you avoiding my question by asking one of yours,"? I ask.

"Because my question is more…. relevant," the boy answers.

"What about this," I say. "What if we pretend that we have never seen each other and go on our separate ways since we don't owe each other any favors. And then we don't have to see each other again,"? I propose.

I don't know why, but something in my gut tells me not to trust this boy.

"Or we could help each other," Baelfire proposes. "It seems like you also want to get off this island."

"I go alone," I tell him.

And then I walk off.

"Alright,"! I hear a voice yell. "I give up! I hardly know anything about surviving,"!

I look behind to see Baelfire running and panting to catch up with me.

"I know this will sound really bad," Baelfire pleads. "But from what I heard, you know how to hunt and how to fight some. I don't know how to do those things, and I can't go back to the lost boy's camp. I either die, or you help me."

I stop on the spot.

"I don't know whether that was the worst or best way to ask for someone for help," I say without turning around.

"I'm not totally a hopeless case, I might not be able to hunt or defend myself, but I can cook and sew clothes," Baelfire pleads.

 _I can cook my own food but sewing is a weak point for me. Maybe he has some usefulness._

I turn around to face Baelfire.

"Here is the deal," I tell Baelfire. "You can come with me, but if you do anything." My voice is now getting stern. "You're done."

I then notice Baelfire's face turning pale.

 _Is he sick?_ I asked my myself.

 _Is there a sickness that makes someone suddenly turn pale?_

 _Who would of thought? I am forgetting my fairy training._

"Sorry," Baelfire said with coloring coming back to his face.

"For what,"?

"For making you worry," Baelfire responds.

"I'm not worried about anything."

"Your face says otherwise," Baelfire explains.

I suddenly notice that I _do_ have a worried face, but I quickly change it back to my normal expression.

"Why did your face turn pale,"? I ask.

If he has a sickness, I probably should know about before I decide that he can be around me.

 _Wait._

 _When did I turn this uncaring?_

"One of the words you said earlier triggered me," he explains.

 _What on earth did I say earlier that would trigger anyone?_

"We can't stand around here," I say getting back to business. "We need to find shelter. The lost boys are probably already on our tracks."

"Do you have somewhere to go to,"? Baelfire asks.

I shook my head "Nope, I was planning to look for somewhere as soon as I escaped from the camp."

"Then let's get started," Baelfire says showing a small smile.

"Why do walk you so fast,"? Baelfire asks me.

"Because it gets me to were I want to go to quicker," is all I reply.

"Is a cave fine,"? Baelfire asks.

"Why,"? I ask back.

"Because there is one over there," Baelfire says.

I turn to see were he was pointing to. I see a good size cave mostly hidden by the elements of the jungle.

 _How was he able spot the cave, but I totally bypassed it?_

"Let's go check it out then," I say.

We both walk toward the dark cave and we walk slowly inside the cave. I immediately look around my surroundings. The cave needs work if I am going to spend time here. There are leaves, spider webs, and mud/dirt everywhere. And if I had to guess, there are probably a few animals who live inside this cave.

"We should probably look for somewhere else," Baelfire says. "I don't think this place is in living condition."

"Your right," I partially agree with Baelfire. "It won't be a living condition if we don't clean this mess up."

Baelfire looks at me, looking shocked at what I said.

"You seem like a person of high standards," Baelfire explains. "I thought you would have wanted to find somewhere else better."

 _A person of high standards? I been sleeping on the ground with nothing but a rough blanket for the past three years for goodness sake!_

"What makes you say that,"? I ask him trying not to sound rude.

"I rather not say why," Baelfire replies.

Then there was a five-minute silent pause.

After a few minutes, I finally say "We wasted enough time. We can start by checking for animal nests."

When I was working, my mine wasn't really focused. It was focused on one question:

 _Do I trust Baelfire?_

 **I wanted to make one thing clear;**

 **Ella's (or Anna) life on Neverland is not going to be the main point in this book. The main story point happens seasons later.**

 **Anyway, please check out a story on wattpad called** _ **Peter Pan and the Lost girl (Peter Pan Robbie Kay Fanfic)**_ **written by LoveBothFreddies.**

 **It's really good!**

 **Thanks for Reading!**


	6. Trusting Him

The next few weeks were interesting. An expectancy for life is that the men will hut and defend while the women will do the cooking, cleaning, and sewing. But for me and Baelfire, that is reversed. I do the hunting and some of the cooking. Baelfire would do the sewing because he is extremely good at it. He explained to me that his father would weave for the village and the trade was passed onto him. He was able to make stuffing for a small mattress using feathers of some of the animals that I hunted. He got creative with the fabric. He used every bit of cloth from a sleeve of my shirt, to an old satch. Among that, I been teaching him how to hide. As a hunter, I already knew how to stay unnoticed to a person or animal a foot away. Baelfire… not so much.

Another thing I learned about Baelfire was that he is a very opened book. He talked a lot about his past and he is extremely polite. Baelfire has been trying to get me to talk about my past.

I haven't told him much for two reasons One: I don't like talking about my past. And Two: I have a gut feeling that is telling me not to trust him.

I still don't know why I have this feeling around him. After a few weeks being around him, he hasn't done anything. But I keep thinking that he setting me up, so I will trust him, and then he will betray me.

"I can't help but think that I have seen you before," Baelfire tells me while cleaning mushrooms. "Are you from the Northside of the Enchanted Forest,"?

I bit my lip "nope," is all I reply.

"Do you have family who live there,"? Baelfire asks.

"Maybe distant," I reply.

"Have you ever passed by there,"? Baelfire asks.

"What is the real reason for all of these questions,"? I ask trying to hide my irritation.

"Why do you get so easily offended,"? Baelfire asks in a snappy tone.

The way he says that shocks me. I have never heard Baelfire snap like this before.

"Look," I say trying to control temper. "I'm sorry for being not an open book to you. But please understand, its not just you! Don't take this personal. There hasn't been a single person I talk to about my past,"!

"I'm sorry," Baelfire apologizes. "I hope you don't mind me asking… were you abused,"?

"No," I reply.

Then I decide to change the subject, "Are you done with those mushrooms,"?

Next Day:

I slowly open my eyes. Right now, my back feels extremely sore. I sit up on the hard cave floor. I glance over to Baelfire who is sleeping on the mattress. As soon as the mattress was made, me and Baelfire had fought who should sleep on the mattress. He argued that I should sleep on it because I have been sleeping on the ground for the longest time, and I argued that he should sleep on it he made it. We ended up on agreeing to take turns each night until a new mattress was made. It was the only solution because neither of us were willing to give up.

I stand up yawning and I walk over to the "table" to get some water for my soar throat. The "table" is actually just a large piece of stone that is really flat on top.

"Morning."

I jump up in fright.

"Did I startle you,"? Baelfire asks trying to hide the laugher in his voice.

"No," I lie.

"Then why did you jump,"? he asks.

I bit my cheek knowing that I can't get away with this lie.

"Fine," I finally say. "You win. For once, you were able to startle to me. Congrats."

Baelfire then shows a small smile. Then he frowns.

"Would you like to learn the bad news or good news first,"? he asks.

"Uhhh…. Bad news," I reply.

"Bad news is the fact that we have just enough food to have breakfast." Baelfire says.

"And what's the good news,"? I ask.

"We have enough to last us breakfast," he replies.

"I think it would have been more convenient to say the good news before the bad," Baelfire says.

"No kidding," I reply. "So, what do we have for breakfast,"?

I learn to trust Baelfire enough with the food supplies.

"Twos apples and a banana," Baelfire answers handing me an apple.

"Thanks," I say to Baelfire.

"I will go out to look for food after breakfast," I announce taking a bite of the apple.

"I have nothing to do this morning," Baelfire says taking a bite out of his apple. "Would you mind if I went with you,"?

I take a minute to think about this

 _He has gotten better at staying hidden in plain site plus it would be nice to have an extra pair of hands._

 _But on the other hand, he hardly knows anything about collecting food except for certain fruits and vegetables._

 _But the best way at learning is experience. You learned hunting by watching some else do it. How hard could it be?_

"Sure," I reply. "Why not,"?

Hunting with Baelfire actually wasn't that bad. He did get a little grossed out by the dead animals and the blood. But he seems natural at laying traps. We also collected berries and mushrooms. I'm not sure why, but I love mushrooms when they are placed over a fire and cooked until their soft and tender. To make things better, Baelfire knows spices that makes the mushrooms taste even better. With how different our personalities are, its great to have one thing in common; the love for tasty food.

"Let's go exploring today," I half-suggesting.

"Isn't that dangerous,"? Baelfire asks. "With Pan and the lost boys out to us,"?

"If we want to escape, we can't just stay in the cave and only go out to hunt. We need to go out and search for a way out," I point out.

"Good point," Baelfire says in a defeated voice.

"When you were with the pirates, did you by any chance get or saw a map of the island,"? I ask Baelfire.

"Yes," Baelfire replies. "The captain always kept a map on him on all times. And I think if I had something to draw on, I could redraw the map."

"Why don't you use the chalk you have been marking the walls with,"? I ask. Since the first day, Baelfire would use a rock to scrape a tally on the cave wall every night to mark a day gone passing by.

Baelfire shook his head, "No, with a rock, I would make way too many mistakes. I need something like ink and a pen."

"Do you have the map in memory,"? I ask.

He nod his head.

"Is that thought clear enough to lead us through the island,"?

He nods again.

"Then let's not waste anytime then," I say heading toward the front of the cave.

"I didn't realize that the hills on the island were this tall," I say to Baelfire as we are trekking up a tall hill.

"I didn't realize that they are was this tall either," Baelfire says.

"At least we are almost there to the top," I mumble to myself.

After another ten minutes of wearing our legs out, we finally made it to the top hill and the sun is coming down.

If I was a person who loved scenery, I would probably appreciate the view. But luckily, I am not. And because I am not, my mind can focus. The island is bigger than I expected it to be. And most of it seemed to be covered in jungle.

I look up at the sky and sure enough, there are only two stars. I look at the ocean of water and there are no pieces of land that I can see. All I can see of the water is a pirate ship, and huge rock that was rumored to be shaped as a skull.

"Anna," I hear a voice say distracting me from my thoughts. "Don't step back."

 _Is this a joke? Is this serious? Should I do what he says?_

I decide to do what he says.

"Take a step to the left and stop there," Baelfire says with fear in his voice.

 _Is he leading me into some kind of trap?_

I do what he says anyway.

"Now take another step to the left."

I again do as he says.

"Walk backwards, slowly," Baelfire says with fear still in his voice.

After about ten steps, Baelfire says "You can turn around now."

"What was so scary that-…."?

"If you have stepped back," Baelfire interrupts. "You would have been caught by a trap," he says pointing to right behind were I was standing. And sure enough, there was a trap right behind were I was standing.

Then something hit me.

"It's a trap," I barely breathe out.

"What did you say,"? Baelfire asks me.

"It's a trap," I said louder.

Then I look him the eyes "We need to leave. Now."

Baelfire's eyes widen.

We head back the same way we came.

After one-fourth of the trekking is done, I hear footsteps.

"Their coming," I tell Baelfire nervously.

Baelfire frowns and says, "I don't hear or see anyone."

"Are you deaf,"? I ask him. "Do you not hear the footsteps,"?

Baelfire shakes his head "No, are you sure you heard them. Perhaps you heard an animal."

"No," I ensure him. "I know what I heard."

"Ok, I believe you," Baelfire says. "Can we just focus on getting to safety,"?

"Sounds like a good plan to me," I respond.

We spent the next few minutes without saying anything else.

"I think I hear something,"! I hear a voice shout.

My eyes went to Baelfire who had a nervous look.

Before we do anything else, I feel someone grab my arms and say, "I found her,"!

I move my arms rapidly trying to get out of his grasp, but whoever has me has extremely strong hands.

"Let me go," I say in an angry voice.

"No can-do little girl," the boy says. "This is payback for the first time we met."

As soon as that was said, I knew who my attacker is. His name is John. He was the lost boy who tried to abduct me while I was in the Enchanted Forrest. And if there is one thing I learned about the lost boys, it is that they don't exactly forgive and forget.

"Anna," Baelfire says calm. "Stay calm."

 _Stay calm? Someone is assaulting me, and he is telling me to stay calm?_

But listening to Baelfire did save me earlier. Maybe I do need to trust him again.

"Look at you! Trying to help your girlfriend! But do you know what? I don't think you have it in you," John taunts.

As soon as that was said, a punch went straight to his face. As soon as the fist contacted his face, he let go of my arms.

But it wasn't me who punched. I am shocked. Baelfire isn't much of the "fighting" type.

"Run,"! Baelfire shouts.

He doesn't have to tell me twice.

We both run faster then we ever had until we were in sight of the cave.

I never thought I would be so relieved to see that place.

When we made it inside, I look over to see Baelfire, smiling.

"Why are you smiling,"? I ask him.

I mean, we just escaped from a lost boy and we are both out of breath.

"Two reasons," Baelfire says with his grin getting even bigger. "One: For the first time, you have trusted me."

"When,"? I ask him.

"Well twice actually," Baelfire explains. "First is when we were on top of the mountain and I gave you directions, so you wouldn't have been trapped. Instead of you asking why, you just _trusted_ me and did as I say."

 _He's right, I did trust him._

"As for the second time," Baelfire continues. "That happened when John had you and you stayed calm."

"Don't get used to it," I say in a smuggest voice. "And what is the second reason you are smiling,"?

"I now remember were I have seen you before," Baelfire announces. "You were at the celebration to celebrate the victory of winning the ogre war. You waved at me right before you left"

"So, I was," I say even smiling a bit.

Baelfire then laughs.

"What's so funny this time,"? I ask.

"You have never smile before," Baelfire answers. "You have a huge dimple on your right cheek, but none on your left. I have never seen something like that before"

I roll my eyes and ask, "And how is that important,"?

He shrugs and shoulder "It isn't. But why do you always seem so serious,"?

"Just the way I was raised."

Then I change the subject:

"What do you think about perhaps learning how to defend ourselves with me,"? I ask Baelfire.

His eyes widen, "Are you really asking my option,"?

"Well, it seems that we are going to be spending a lot of time together. And both of us are not that great at self-defense. Plus, the hiding-in-plain-sight hasn't exactly been working lately. So why don't we learn how to fight, together,"? I suggest.

"I think we can work that out," Baelfire says. "Just don't hurt me too much."

"I am making no promises," I say grinning myself.

 **I know that many of you don't comment, but please let me know something. I realized that there are some parts coming up in the story where I will have to do it third person. Should I just do third person for those certain scenes, or should I start writing whole chapters in third person?**

 **Please let me know and…..**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	7. Getting Kidnapped For the Second Time

"You fight like a girl,"! Baelfire says.

"And you fight like you have done this before," I groaned.

Me and Baelfire are working on sword fighting with big sticks. I wasn't as good as I thought I was with stick/sword fighting. To be honest, I don't have too much experience. If I did find a sword randomly on the ground or a stick in the middle of the dirt ground, I would take it. But I always find a way to lose it.

In the Enchanted Forrest, there are laws against kidnapping. But there are people who challenge the law, and I had to be ready. There were a couple of instances, but I always found a way to escape. But on Neverland, the lost boys seem to be stronger then the men in the Enchanted Forrest.

And Baelfire is no exception.

By my surprise Baelfire actually knows how to use a sword. Apparently, the pirate captain taught him how to. To my first few weeks of Neverland, he made it sound like he didn't know any survival experience what so ever. But at certain time, including right now, that fact is being proven wrong.

About a week ago, me and Baelfire agreed to train together. So far, we have only been doing sticks and hand-to-hand contact. I have been trying new techniques that will get the lost boys off guard. The lost boys always know what is coming because I do the same things over and over again. We both also decided that getting muscles will help. Baelfire thought an exercise called push-ups. I hate it but according to him, you can gain strength that way.

Right now, Baelfire is winning the sword fight…... but I have a strategy.

Baelfire gets me in the solar plex. Which hurts. A lot.

The next thing I know, I am on the floor, pretending to be knocked out.

"Anna," Baelfire says in a concerned voice. "Please be ok," I then hear Baelfire walk close to me. As soon as I can feel him barely touch me, I grab his legs and pull them up, forcing him onto the ground.

As soon as he fell, I quickly stand up and walk back a few steps. If I stayed close to him, he probably would have tripped me.

Baelfire groaned and stood up.

"That might actually work the next time you are attacked," Baelfire says. "And I thought you agreed not to hurt me much when we practice."

" _You_ agreed not to hurt each other much," I point out. "I remember saying that I wasn't making any promises."

"Do you _ever_ try to be nice,"? Baelfire asks me.

"Being nice doesn't exactly help you survive," I point for what it seems like the hundredth time.

"Life is more than just…,"

"Please do not give another one of those "Life is more than just survival" talks," I say placing a hand over my forehead.

"Well it is," Baelfire says in an annoyance tone.

"Maybe it is," I say putting my hands up. "Maybe your right. I mean, you are right one of eleven times," I say in a joking voice.

Over time, I got what they call a sense-of-humor. And I have enjoyed joking around with Baelfire sometimes.

"How do you that,"? Baelfire asks.

"Do what,"?

"Switch emotions so quickly," he replies.

I shrug my shoulders, "I don't know, I guess its just natural to me."

"Baelfire, what do you plan on doing when we escape Neverland,"? I ask him.

"Probably go find the _Darling_ Family," Baelfire answers. "If they are alive by the time we get out."

Something in that sentence clicks in my brain.

"Wait…. What did you mean when you said "Darling"," I ask Baelfire.

"In the realm without magic," he explains. "They have something called surnames…...,"

Baelfire then has this long talk on explaining a surname.

"Do you by any chance know a Wendy Darling,"? I ask already knowing the answer.

I remember Wendy mentioned Baelfire's name at least once during her stay.

"Yes," Baelfire responds softly.

I now feel really bad about judging her by adding "Darling" right after she said Wendy.

"Yes," Baelfire answers. "And I remember her mentioning you once or twice."

"What did she say about me,"?

"She said that you are a poor example of what a "lady" should be like," Baelfire answers.

I start to laugh hard.

"So true," I manage to say.

"You're not offended,"? Baelfire asks with a confusion look.

"Offended? I take that as a complement,"! I say still laughing.

Then Baelfire starts giggling himself, "When we first meet, you were all serious. I never would have thought you had a fun side."

I know what he means. When I first meet him, I was just plain mean. I didn't make jokes. And I hardly smiled.

"Its just been a while since I have shown it," I tell Baelfire.

Then I change the subject.

"What should we do for the rest of the day,"? I ask.

I look outside to see its still raining, hard. It has been raining non-stop for the past few days.

Therefore, pretty much me and Baelfire has been cooped up inside the cave. But it isn't completely terrible. Both me and Baelfire have had time to work on our fighting skills. Baelfire was able to finish the second mattress. And I have been talking to Baelfire a couple of things about me. Not much, just the fact that I there is no one who is missing me and that I was fifteen when I was kidnapped.

Baelfire shrugs his shoulders, "We can try something new. Perhaps throwing."

That might be a good idea. I do have a terrible aim, and I would like to change that.

"Listen, Baelf….,"

"Call me Bae," Baelfire interrupts.

I give him a look.

"I'm serious," Baelfire insures. "Please call me Bae. I prefer that over Baelfire."

 _What does he expect me to say? Tell him I rather Ann over Anna?_

"Ok, Bae it is," I say.

"Do you have any nicknames,"? Baelfire asks.

I am tempted to tell him about my nickname _Danya,_ but it might give something away.

"No," I lie.

"Can I call you Ann then,"? Baelfire asks.

 _Should of saw that coming._

"Umm… no," I reply. "I don't think I'm ready for a nickname. Not yet anyways."

Bae nodded as if he understood.

"Back to what we were talking about earlier… what if we talk about the ways off of Neverland," I suggest.

Baelfire gives me an uncomfortable look. Whenever we try to figure this out, it gets us nowhere.

"What if this time, we start by the ways to get _on_ Neverland," I suggest. "The first way is Pan himself. And you said the pirates got in by flying their ship toward the stars,"?

Baelfir nods.

"And you got in by a shadow,"? I ask with already knowing the answer.

Baelfire nods again.

The next few minutes were kept in complete silence.

I had no idea what Baelfire was doing. I was just starring at my hands, thinking.

Then it suddenly came up to me.

 _The shadow! Of course!_

"What are you thinking,"? Bae asks me noticing the change of the look on my face.

"I don't have an exact idea," I admit. "But I have a start."

"What is it,"? Baelfire asks eagerly.

 _Should I tell him? What if—_

 _You have been through this. Baelfire hasn't done anything to me since we gave eye contact from the first time._

"The shadow," I began. "Do you know if it is part of Pan? Or is just a creature that is completely loyal to him,"?

Baelfire shrugs his shoulders, "I don't know the answer to that. Why do you ask"

"I believe there might be a way out of Neverland using the shadow," I answer.

Baelfire's eyes widened, "Are you insane? Using the shadow in any way is extremely dangerous,"!

"You need to face it Baelfire," I tell him. "Any plan of escaping Neverland will be dangerous. No matter which method we use"

I can tell Baelfire wants to argue, but he can't argue the fact of what I said is true.

The next hour was spent in silence.

I spent that time getting the last minute getting an odd animal ready for cooking. Neverland has many weird animals that I have never seen or heard before in my entire life. But meat is meat.

After a while, something out of the ordinary happens.

I hear silence.

 _Silence weird? That can't be right. Me and Baelfire haven't been talking….._

Then I realize what is really going on.

I hear no rain drops. Wich is an odd silence that I haven't have in days.

"It stopped raining," I hear Baelfire says breaking the silence.

"I have noticed," I say standing up. "I am going out to look for more food," I announce. "We are almost out of food."

"I will go with you," Baelfire says standing up.

I don't blame him for wanting to go out, even if it was just for a minute. Baelfire has been cooped up in the cave along with me. And the times we do go out, we got drenched.

To prepare, I grab my rope trap and a small, sword that I got off the ground a while back.

Me and Baelfire rush out of the cave longing for some sunlight and alive plants.

Next thing, we are both heading out into the jungle. The first thing I notice is that most of the plants we relied on for food were destroyed. Probably from the hard rains. The second thing I notice is that is alive creature to be seen or heard.

I laid out my small trap. Hopefully, it will catch something.

The next thirty minutes was spent with whispering, or no talking at all. We both know that we want to capture any animals, we can't make much noise.

But no animals were to be seen or heard.

I cannot lie;

 _this is scaring me. If food isn't found today, then me and Baelfire are in serious trouble._

As soon as I thought that, I hear something.

I suddenly halt. But Baelfire, who is walking behind me, does not notice.

"Stop walking," I hiss.

Baelfire stops walking.

"Do you see something,"? he whispers back.

"No," I reply. "I _hear_ something."

"I know that you are always right about when you hear something, but how come I _never_ hear the same things you do," Baelfire asks in a slightly annoyed voice.

"Can we talk about this la-."

Abruptly, somebody's hand covers my mouth and waist. I squirm rapidly trying to out of my captor's grasp.

They found us.

 _Remember what you and Baelfire worked on!_

That thought repeats in my head. But I can't remember anything we worked on.

I caught corner of my eyes that the same thing is happening to Baelfire.

Eventually, dust gets blown into my face. It is no mystery what it is.

 _Poppy dust._

At least that what I thought it was.

I am ready to instantly become weak and fall asleep. But instead, I am slowly feeling those things.

"Why isn't she knocked out yet,"? a hear one voice ask.

"Maybe she is immune to the poppy dust," one suggests.

I now feel weaker and a bit more tired, but I still am fighting with the small strength I have left.

"I think it something else," I hear a voice I recognize.

Felix.

Then he blows something into my face making me instantly weak and sleepy.

No energy is left inside me.

The last thing I see before I loose conscious is a murderous look on Felix's face.

"Anna," I hear a voice say. "Wake up."

I wake up with heavy eyelids. Too heavy to let them open my eyes. But that doesn't matter, I am too sleepy to do anything.

A second before I drift off again, I hear again, "Anna, you need to wake," says a worried voice.

I wake up a little, but I don't open up my eyes.

"What have you done with her,"? I hear the worried voice ask someone.

 _Wait…._

Then everything comes back to me. My hands and feet are tied together, and I am laying face toward floor.

"Don't worry Baelfire," I hear a voice said. "She won't be asleep forever."

I haven't heard that voice in a long time.

Peter Pan.

"Why did you bring her in the first place,"? Baelfire asks with an angry voice.

"That's not how the game works, Baelfire," Pan replies.

 _A game? That is what he thinks this is?_

"If this nothing but a game to you," Baelfire says. "Then you have no real reason to keep us both."

Surprising, Baelfire is handling this pretty well. If my memory serves me right, Baelfire always shuttered talking to Pan and most of the lost boys.

"You see Baelfire," Pan says. "You are useless. But Ella on the other hand-,"

"What did you just call her,"? Baelfire asks with curiosity in his tone.

 _Please no!_

"She hasn't told you,"? Pan asks with amusement in his voice.

 _Oh gosh! He better not!_

"Next time you get a chance to talk with her," Pan says. "Ask her: _who are you really,"?_

"If you trying to get me not to trust her Pan," Baelfire says with the bravest voice I have ever heard him have. "It's not working."

 _Funny how I have issues trusting Baelfire and he trusts me whole heartedly._

"Just ask her," is all Pan says in response.

Then I hear Pan walk away.

 _Should I let Baelfire know I am awake?_ I asked myself. _Or should I keep pretending to be unconscious?_

"Anna," I hear Baelfire voice say. "I know your awake."

 _Well, better him then Pan._

I open my eyes slowly, so I can adjust to the light. But I quickly realize there isn't much. I then awkwardly turn my body, making it so my back is the facing the ground. I try to sit up, but since my hands and feet are tied up, it is not worth too much effort.

I am in a dark room with a few candles and lanterns being used as the main light source. If I had to guess, this is one of the small huts the lost boys build.

"How long were you pretending to be asleep,"? Baelfire asks.

"Just for a few minutes," I reply.

"Is there any chance you are going to tell me to tell me what Pan was telling me about,"? Baelfire asks curiously.

 _What should I do? Should I tell him what Pan meant? Or should lie?_

I know I should tell Baelfire the truth, but another voice in my head keeps telling me not to.

"I prefer to tell you when we out of Pan's camp," I say. "When I don't feel rushed."

"I always knew you were hiding something," Baelfire says. "But I think it is bigger then I suspected it to be."

 _You have no idea._

"Your right Baelfire," I admit. "I have gotten so use to not talking to people about my past and problems, that I think I have forgotten how to."

"You can talk to me," Baelfire says. "And who am I going to tell? The cave wall,"?

"Your lost boy's friends," I say.

Baelfire shakes his head, "They are not my friends," he admits. "Friends don't hurt each other. And when they do, they apologize. No one here apologizes."

"That is part of the reason why Neverland is so fun," I hear a voice say.

Great. Someone has been listening on to our conversation.

"Do you mind,"? I ask irately.

"I do not," the boy responds.

I try to recognize the voice, but I can't. Maybe he is new.

"So, you two are the famous "Runners," the boy says as if he is impressed.

"Who calls us that,"? Baelfire asks.

"Everyone who you both have out run," the boy explains. "From what I have heard, you two run pretty fast. And ever since you two pulled that stunt a while back, a few of the boys rebelled a little."

 _That is probably why I haven't seen many lost boys when I am out._

"But it calmed down shortly after," the boy continues.

"And let me guess," I say. "You were one of the _good_ ones Peter Pan could trust; so, you got the job guarding us."

"I actually just arrived a week after you both went into hiding," the boy admits.

"Do you know why Pan wants her," Baelfire asks.

 _Wow Baelfire, so much for having no lost boy friends._

"I do not," the lost boy says with sympathy.

Then he changes the subject, "My name is Stephan if you wanted to know."

On que, Baelfire says, "My name is Bael-,"

"-fire," Stephen interrupts. "And you are Anna." He says referring to me.

"Step into the light, were I can see you," I order the boy.

Stephan does as he was told. As I see him, I look at his features. The boy's face tells me is in his mid-teens, but he is short. Besides that, he has black, curly hair, and his face is full of freckles. As soon I see him, I feel a weird connection.

Maybe I have passed by him a while back in the Enchanted Forrest.

But that doesn't matter.

"See that your awake," I hear Pan's voice say. "You can leave now Stephan."

"Ummm…..," Stephan stutters. "I kinda….. what to stay and listen in."

It is hard not laugh out laud when he says this. The measure is pretty clear: Stephan has nothing to do, and he is full of curiosity. So, the way of curing both is by staying and listening in the conversation.

"Leave," Pan orders again.

Stephan puts his hands up and walks away. He pushes a poorly made door to the outside world.

As this is done, I came up with an idea. This is a long shot, but it is worth it if I figure out a few things.

"I know you like your games," I say breaking the silence. "So why don't we play one."

I see out of the corner of my eye that Baelfire looks shocked. And I look at Pan, his eyebrows are raised.

"You are suggesting a game? That is very unlike you," Pan says as if he suspects that I am up to something.

"Yes," I say making it clear. "You know I want answers. And I know you like your games."

 _What am I doing? Even if he agrees to this, he will probably cheat so he can win. Plus, I am terrible at games. What have I gotten myself into?_

"What game are you suggesting,"? Pan asks.

 _How am I this stupid? I need to think things through before I-_

"How about a scavenger hunt,"? Baelfire suggests interrupting my thoughts. "You leave us clues of answers of the questions we want to know. It's a win, win."

 _Scavenger hunt?_

"Never thought I would hear that from you Baelfire," Pan says as if he is impressed by Baelfire.

Then someone bursts through the poorly made door. It was Felix.

"There is something you need to see," Felix says referring to Pan.

"Whatever it is, it can wait," Pan says.

"This one can't," Felix assures him.

Pan doesn't say anything else and rushes out of the hut.

"What's so urgent that Pan had to leave,"? Baelfire asks Felix in a curious voice.

 _Really Baelfire? Felix probably would have left to, and we could have talked about something important like what a scavenger hunt is._

"What is going on," Felix replies with his voice getting deeper. "Doesn't concern you."

 _What's so urgent?_

"I think it does," I say. "If Pan wants me to stay and join him, then we must share the same concerns."

 _What did I even say? Why can't I just think before I speak? That didn't even make since to me!_

"Enough with this foolishness," Felix says. "What is your _real_ name girl."

 _Really? How many people did Pan tell about my past._

"I think I made it pretty clear that I _go_ by Anna," I respond.

"You may _go_ by Anna," Felix points out. "But what name were you given at birth,"?

"You are acting like I am a wanted criminal," I say.

"Perhaps you are," Felix states.

"How dare you," I say angerly. "And my life is my business."

"But like you said earlier," Felix points out. "We have the same business."

"Don't twist my words up lost boy," I say in a scary voice.

"Did you two know each other before you came to Neverland,"? Baelfire asks trying to break up the fight.

"No," I answer.

"I would watch who you make friends with, Baelfire," Felix says. "She _isn't_ who she says she is."

"All right then Felix," I say. "Then tell me because I am dying to know; who am I,"?

Felix leans and whispers in my ear, "You are half-breed."

"And that is terrible… how,"? I ask.

"Don't play stupid," Felix sneers stepping back.

 _Play stupid? What he is saying makes no sense! He acts as if being half-human, half-fairy is a terrible thing._

I look over Baelfire, even with the small light, I can tell he is really, really confused. And honestly, I don't blame him.

"Felix," I hear Pan shout. "Come here now,"!

I have never been so glad to hear that voice.

"This will be continued," Felix tells me.

"I am looking forward to that," I say as Felix leaves.

I wanted to spend the next few minutes thinking, but Baelfire has something else planned.

"What was Felix talking about,"? Baelfire asks.

"Can we talk about this latter,"? I ask.

"You have to stop postponing this," Baelfire says.

"I have been postponing for less then twenty minutes," I point out.

"Its been longer then that," Baelfire says. "Ever since we meet, you hardly opened up."

"I haven't known you that long, Baelfire," I point out. "Don't expect me to "open up" right away."

"Well I….,"

"It was your choice to share," I interrupt. "I didn't tell you to spill the beans about your life."

"If we want to escape," Baelfire says softer. "We need to trust each other."

 _I have been trusting Baelfire, I have trusted him with my life._

"You are right," I say giving up on this argument. "But please, stop pushing me to tell you about my past."

"Sorry," Baelfire apologizes. "I just realized _I have_ been pushy about that."

 _What are we doing? We are wasting time._

"Baelfire," I say. "We need to make an escape plan."

"What do you have in mind,"? Baelfire asks me.

"The only thing I can think of is to stand up and run until we are the heck out of this place," I say. "But we can't just go running, there are likely lost boys all over the camp."

 _Unless Pan wants me to think that. Maybe there is no one in the camp. But there is no way to make sure._

"Maybe we can convince one of the lost boys to help us," Baelfire suggests. "Stephan seems friendly."

 _How gullible can someone be?_

"He may be friendly, but he is still loyal to Pan," I point out.

Before anything else could be said, someone walks in.

I look to see its Pan.

"Before you say something foolish," he says. "I have a solution, deal, whatever you want to call. I have one that will solve _our_ issues."

 _The day Pan comes up will a solution both of us will agree on, that will be the day the fairies invite me back. And that will never happen._

"We will never make a deal with you," Baelfire tells Pan.

 _Baelfire, I have no idea whether I am mad, happy, upset, surprised, or proud of you._

"I'm not so sure about that, Baelfire," Pan says. "You two want to stop hiding."

 _What is he getting at?_

"And I want to stop wasting precious time _looking_ for you two," Pan continues.

 _What is he getting at?_ I ask myself again. _He is definitely going to make a deal? But why haven't I figured it out yet?_

"Get to the point," I say with more confidence then I actually had.

"This was brought up last time you were at the camp," Pan says. "The deal is to join me and the lost boys."

"I cannot speak for Baelfire," I say. "My answer is no."

"Think about it," Pan says. "You have always wanted a _real_ family, one that would understand you. The lost boys can be your family."

 _Really? I don't want a new family. Especially with a bunch of boys._

"No more running," Pan continues. "There will be no reason to. Unless you are playing a game of course. Why say no to an adventure,"?

 _An adventure? No thanks, I had enough adventures for the past few years._

"Face it Anna, you have no were to go. Neverland can be your home."

"Neverland will never be my home," I say.

Think about it," Pan says walking out. "I will be back shortly, you use this time _wisely_."

"Anna," Baelfire says as soon as Pan leaves. "Hear me out; we should agree to the deal."

"I can't….,"

"Let me finish," Baelfire interrupts. "If we agree join him, we will no longer have to worry about hiding. And think of it, if we get them to trust us, we can learn more about the island's secrets. And the more we know about the island, the more we can find ways out of Neverland."

 _That might work. But how long will it take for Pan and the lost boys to trust us? A week, month, year, decade? I may have all the time of the world, but Baelfire doesn't. He has a family that misses him._

"We should give this a try," I say agreeably. "But we need to make sure we act like this a last resort. If we act like we are super excited to join Pan. He will suspect something."

"So pretty much act like yourself,"? Baelfire asks.

"Not all the way," I respond. "I should probably act like I want to be here."

 _That won't work._

"You know what,"? I say. "I don't know. I will probably decide how to act as time goes along. But, there will be circumstances that need to be discussed."

"I can agree with the last part," Baelfire says.

"I need to be able to leave the camp, without a lost boy," I say. "And I know there will be more; I just can't think of anything else right now."

"We have our answer,"? Baelfire asks.

I nod.

"Then let's get this over with. Pan,"! Baelfire shouts. "We have an answer,"!

"That could of wait," I mumble.

"Thought you would of like to get this over with," Baelfire says.

"Usually yes," I admit. "But when it comes to Pan, things can wait."

"I have to admit, I am surprised," a voice behind me says. "I expected you to take at least an hour to come up with your decision. Tell me, what is your decision,"?

Baelfire says, "We will accept and….,"

"Under certain conditions," I say interrupting. "Yes, we will join you. But we need to be able to leave the camp whenever we want to."

"And I will like my own hut," Baelfire says.

I was about to add that I wanted a good weapon I can carry around, but I can't push this too far.

"Those are our terms, and we will eventually probably add more," I announce. "Are you willing to except these,"?

Pan bit his lip, "I will allow for both of your requests. But understand this," he says with his voice getting darker. "If either of you do anything…,"

"We won't," Baelfire says.

 _Speak for yourself._

Pan smirks, "I guess we have a deal then."

"Then do us a favor and untie us," I demand.

"Didn't you know? Patience is a virtue," Pan jokes. Then he unties Baelfire first, and then me. My hands felt the relief of being free. The first thing I do is try to stand up. I am a little wobble, but I quickly get my balance.

Without saying another word, I walk outside without Baelfire. There are lost boys all around doing lost boy activities such as fighting with their fists, sticks, or even real swords. A majority of the lost boys stop to look at me. Many of them looked surprised.

They probably thought I would have said no to Pan's deal.

But what they think about me isn't my biggest worry. I told Baelfire I would explain to him what Pan was talking about earlier.

What am I going to tell him?

 **Thanks for reading and please comment!**


	8. False Memories

**I am going to ask this is in the beginning instead of the end…. Please review!**

 _What am I going to tell him?_ I ask myself. _I told Baelfire I would explain to him why Pan called me Ella. I can tell him the partial truth. But is that fair to him? And what was Felix talking about earlier? There are people out there who believe half-breeds shouldn't exist. Felix must be one of those people. But did Pan need to really tell them both about things I prefer to keep quiet. And how in the world does he know these things about me? Me and him are going to have a serious talk._

For the past few hours, I have been purposely avoiding Baelfire.

I do feel a little bad for doing that. Besides me, he doesn't really have anyone to talk to. That is because the lost boys have been _avoiding_ us. I wander if Devin feels betrayed. I mean, he was the only one I talked to when I was in the camp weeks back.

I am not sure what to do first; talk to Baelfire or straighten things out with Pan.

 _I shouldn't be putting too much thought into this. I don't know where he is, go talk to Baelfire._

When I was at the camp, I remembered Pan would always disappear. Were to? I have no idea.

I walk around the camp looking for Baelfire, I find him sitting on a log, drawling pictures on the dirt ground with a stick.

I sit beside him, and I stay silent.

"Hey," Baelfire says without looking up.

"Hey," I respond. "Baelfire, I am ready to talk."

"Do you want to somewhere private,"? he asks.

I nod. "I would like to leave the camp."

Baelfire nods as if he understands.

He stands up and place his stick on the ground. I look at the picture he drew; he drew a simple house. But I can tell it means something to him.

"Is this were you used to live,"? I ask.

"It was the house I lived in before… my papa turned evil," Baelfire admits.

"Do you miss him," I ask Baelfire.

"No," Baelfire responds. He may have said no, but I can tell he is lying.

Talk about being honest with each other.

Never less, Baelfire stands up, and we both head toward the entrance of the camp. Surprisingly, there is a lost boy guarding the entrance.

I thought they were only there to make sure I don't get out…...

And then I remember; _there are pirates on the island._

But it doesn't matter.

Me and Baelfire out, but before we are completely out, someone says, "you know you are not supposed to leave the camp."

 _Oh great._

I stop and turn around to see one of the lost boys, Thomas, head toward us.

"Pan agreed to let her leave camp whenever she wants to," Baelfire says. "And she is with me."

"Funny," Thomas says. "I don't recall Pan saying anything like that."

"Maybe he hasn't told you yet," Baelfire says.

"Perhaps so," Thomas says. "But I would prefer if you two wait until he comes back, and I will ask him personally."

"Where is he anyway,"? I ask Thomas.

"Don't know," he answers. "Look, right now, you two have all of the time in world to finish whatever you need to do. You can wait."

"Fine," I say walking the other way.

"Leaving without much of a fight doesn't seem like you," Baelfire says catching up.

"You told me earlier that I shouldn't cause too much trouble," I say in response.

"Do you listen to me when it only suits you,"? Baelfire asks.

"No," I respond. "I only listen when it makes sense to."

I start to walk away.

"Wait," Baelfire says. "I just realized, I have my own sleeping quarters. We can talk there."

 _Why does he so badly want to know about my past?_

"Do you have one yet? Or is going to be built,"? I ask him.

"They already had an extra," Baelfire responds.

 _An extra sleeping space available? How unusual._

"Let's go there then," I say.

Baelfire leads to a small, wooden hut. I walk inside, its small with only a poorly made bed in the middle.

"Not much better then the cave," I mumble.

"I'm afraid to say that I agree with you on that," Baelfire agrees.

"The only reason Pan gave this hut is because he wants you to stay," I point out.

"And the only reason he wants me here is because he thinks if I stay, you will stay," Baelfire says.

"I didn't think about that. That is a good point," I admit. "But he must know I don't feel responsible for others."

"You may think that," Baelfire says. "But, you have a selfless part of you. And in reality, I am the closest you got to a friend."

He has a point.

Then it hit me.

"I think he finally realized that he couldn't keep me by force," I say. "He realized every time he tries to, I escape again and again. The only way I will stay is if I _want_ to stay."

"But if Pan wants you to stay, then why won't he let you out of camp,"? Baelfire asks.

"He probably hasn't announced the circumstances of the deal with the lost boys yet," I respond. "And he needs to do it soon, I am hungry."

"You are always hungry," Baelfire says. "And can't you just ask one of the lost boys to share their food with you,"?

"I could," I respond. "But most of them seem to be avoiding both of us."

"I think they feel awkward, I mean just a week ago, they were hunting us," Baelfire says.

"They were just hunting us _yesterday,"_ I say.

"Anna," Baelfire calmly corrects me. "I forgot to tell you, but you were asleep for nearly a week."

 _No. That can't be right. Poppy dust only effects a person a day at the most. And that is extremely rare._

"Your joking," I say not willing to except the truth. "That's not possible."

"Well it did happen," Baelfire says. "I was in the dark hut for nearly a week surviving off of the lost boys' leftovers. And when I watching you, it was as if your body was slowing down."

"What do you exactly mean when you say slowing down,"? I ask Baelfire.

"You breathing extremely slowly, it was unnormal, even for someone who is unconscious. You didn't move at all, it was like your body was fighting for just breathing alone. It was scary." Baelfire admits.

"Maybe I am allergic to poppies," I say.

 _That can't be right either. Poppy dust has been used on me before, this has never happened._

"Anna," Baelfire says calmly again. "Why did Pan call you Ella earlier,"?

I took a slow, deep breath and say, "Ella was the name given at birth," I explain. "I changed to Anna…," then there a pause. "I changed to Anna a little after the last time I saw my mother."

"Were you adopted," Baelfire asks sweetly.

I shook my head, "No, but I never felt like I was her daughter. Sometimes, she would treat me like I was not supposed to exist." As I say this, I feel warm tears drip down my face. And it wasn't just a couple of tears, it was like rain was pouring down my face. For me, this is embarrassing. I can't remember the last time I cried like this in front of someone.

"There were times where I wanted to leave, and I have no idea why I didn't," I say.

 _I just lied to him, I do know why I stayed. I had a great friend…... wait, I forgot her name! Had could I forget my only friend!?_

"But the second before I left, me and my mother had a moment together," I sobbed. "And I have never felt that much wanted before."

"You don't have to say anything else," Baelfire says like he cares. "I am sorry I asked in the first place."

Suddenly I hands wrap around me. I realize he is giving me a hug.

After a couple of minutes, I step out of the hug, and I wipe away all of my tears. "Baelfire," I say. "This conversation will be continued tomorrow. I have a task I need complete," I lie. "And one more thing," I say right before I walk out. "Don't tell anyone what I just told you."

And then I walk out.

 _That went well_.

As I walk through the camp, I am careful to hide my face, I don't want anyone to see I was crying.

The first thing I do is look for the small pond in the camp. As soon as I found one toward the edge of the camp, I look at my reflection. My hair long is in a sloppy bun plumbed on my head. It could use a good washing. My face is covered in dirt, but there is proof that I had cried. I take the bottom part of my shirt, and I soak it with the water. Then I wash my face with it. It is gross, I know. But can't show any weakness to anyone.

I walk into the main part of the camp. My eyes search the area to see any sign of Pan. But the only life I see is large plants and lost boys fighting each other.

"I have heard you have been looking for me," a voice says behind me.

"You have heard right," I respond. "I have questions that need answering."

Pan says nothing.

"Before I ask, I want to know if you will answer all of my questions," I say.

"Depends if I feel like answering them," Pan replies.

"This is not worth my time," I say walking away.

I walk only a couple of feet before something, no someone suddenly blocks my way.

"I know you are dying to have questions answered," Pan says. "Go ahead and ask."

"What is in it for you,"? I ask him. I have known Pan long enough to know he only does things for his own wellbeing.

"Is satisfying your needs not enough,"? Pan asks in an innocent voice.

 _Is this a… Wait, why am I even asking myself this? Of course, this is all a game to him._

"Face it Pan, I have never seen you doing something for someone else, unless you gain something out of it," I say in confidence. "Here is my first question for you; what will you gain out of this,"?

I am setting this up. If he answers this question, then I will ask some more. If he doesn't, I won't waste my time.

"There is one question," Pan says. "One question you are too scared to ask me, but without knowing the answer, you will never leave here."

I hate to admit it, but he is right. There is a question that has been hanging since I have been on Neverland. And with how much Pan knows about me, he probably knows the answer to it.

"Here is my first question," I say. "How do you know so much about me,"?

"And what is your second question,"? Pan asks.

 _Should I tell him?_

"Why am I here,"? I finally ask with my brain saying _don't give him the satisfaction that he got you! Don't answer his!_ _Don't play his game!_

"To find the answer to both of your questions," Pan says. "You need to take a deep look into someone."

"Fine," I say in an irritated tone. "I will play your silly game, who is this person,"?

"Your mother," Pan replies with a smirk.

 _No, no, no! That can't be true! My mother would get involved with anything like this._

 _But, I didn't actually know my mother as well as I hope to admit. She has a secret life before, making having another one possible._

"You seem to be confused," Pan says.

 _No kidding._

"Let me verify. I was talking about your birth mother," Pan says with his smirk getting even bigger.

 _Now he pulling my leg._

"So, let me get this straight, you expect me to believe that I was adopted by a fairy,"? I ask in disbelief.

"Before I answer your question," Pan says. "You have two options. Either you can ask the question that I want to hear. Or two, you can come find me tomorrow to answer your question."

Something happened that I promised myself that never would. Pan got me trapped.

I open my mouth to tell Pan No and he has to answer me now. But I close it because just now, I remember agreeing with Baelfire about staying calm. And I feel like I already pushed some buttons on Pan already. But there is one thing that needs to be straighten out.

"One more thing," I say. "What happened to the part of the deal where I would be allowed out of the camp,"?

"Why do you want to leave so soon,"? Peter Pan jokes.

 _For starters, you kidnapped me, locked in a cage, and hunted me like an animal. You think by doing of those things makes me want to stay? Heck no!_

"Think of it this way Pan," I state. "You can go hunt a rabbit and cook for me. Or, you can let me go gather my own food. That way, you have one last task at hand. And remember this, me and Baelfire agreed not to try anything. You honor your deals. Do you not,"?

"I may not be the most well-behaved boy on the island, but I always keep my deals," Pan says.

 _I highly doubt that._

"Prove it then," I say.

Immediately after I said that, I walk away.

"Has Pan agreed to let you out,"? Baelfire asks.

"He told me that he always keeps his deals," I reply.

"I hope he keeps his word, I am hungry," Baelfire complains.

"And you always complain I am always hungry," I joke.

"You are _always_ hungry," Baelfire points out. "I am only hungry when I haven't had a meal all day."

 _I hate it when he makes points like that._

"Alright," I say. "You can stay here and complain. I am going to go look for food for me."

"Wait," Baelfire says. "You are going to get some food for me too,"?

"Nope," I reply. "Time for you to take care of your own needs."

"Can I go with you, just one more time,"? Baelfire asks. "Perhaps you can teach mw when you hunt."

"Are you tell me that you were not paying attention on all of hunting trips we did,"? I ask Baelfire.

"You never explained the details," Baelfire explains.

"Fine," I say. "First lesson don't talk while hunting."

The hunting trip was a little worse then I hoped it to be. Baelfire kept asking me questions at the wrong time. Meaning he asked questions during the times we were supposed to keep quiet, which were times we are waiting for animals to get caught in my trap. On the brighter side, we were successfully able to get enough supper for us both.

"I hope you learned a few things in the past hour," I groan at Baelfire.

"I did," Baelfire assures.

"Great," I say. "The next thing you can do is collect sticks, leaves, and a good rock for a fire."

Baelfire places down the food that we gathered.

But before he goes to collect the items, he asks me, "What will you be doing,"?

"I will start the fire," I reply.

"You can't start the fire without the firewood," Baelfire points out. "If we both gather these supplies, we can eat sooner."

I know what he is getting at. Both me and Baelfire are hungry. But if he wants to be able to survive by himself, he needs to learn how to take care even the small tasks by himself.

I shake my head, "I am staying here. You wanted to learn how to take care of yourself."

Baelfire huffs but starts to pick up sticks.

After he gets enough sticks, he starts the fire and starts to cook the meat. At least he already knew how to cook food.

"What do you want to do for the rest of the night," Baelfire asks after we eat the odd tasting food.

It was decided by the both of us spend as much time as we can out of the camp.

"We should explore more since we don't have to worry too much about….," I reply.

"You really have no hope for being saved, do you,"? Baelfire interrupts me.

"I have told you before, there is no one out there who cares me," I reply.

"I bet your mother does," Baelfire says.

"Even if she did, she probably thinks I'm dead," I say.

"Why do you think that,"? Baelfire asks me.

"Like I have told you before, I have been on my own since I was twelve. I wasn't raised being taught how to survive, my mother said herself that I didn't have a big chance on surviving," I respond. "And why do you still have hope that there is someone out there who will save you,"? I ask Baelfire.

"Losing hope is not one of my traits," Baelfire answers.

I will not burst Baelfire's hope. But I am glad that I know the line between hope and reality.

"You believe that," I say breaking up the conversation. "I am going for a hike."

Baelfire quickly stands up.

"You don't have to follow me wherever I go," I tell Baelfire.

"What should I do,"? Baelfire asks.

"Talk with the lost boys, practice archery, explore, I don't care," I respond. "You can't always follow me around and expect me to tell you what to do."

Not much was said after that.

It is now completely dark. Expect for the two stars, a few fireflies that are flying though the air, and the torch that I am carrying.

I know that I can't find much in the dark, and I should head back.

 _But I do not have to head back to the camp._

In the deal, I made no promise that I would return to the camp at night. I am not even tired. I take another look at my surroundings, I do not recognize the area.

I feel a gush of wind behind my neck. Expect it wasn't wind. I had this feeling not too long ago.

 _A shadow._

I quickly turn around, there is nothing there. It probably was just the wind and me being too jumpy.

Then I feel another gush of wind. I turn around again, but like before, there is nothing there.

For the third time, I felt the exact same breeze as the first two times. But this time, I don't turn around. I need to stop being irritated at the smallest things.

I start walking again. My surroundings are the normal sights of Neverland. Trees and a dirt ground. As I walk, I suddenly see two bright, white eyes glaring at me. There is was, I could hardly see the form of the shadow with how dark it is, but I couldn't never miss its eyes.

"I am not running away," I tell the shadow.

I don't expect the shadow to answer, as far as I know, there is only one shadow that can talk.

I move my torch toward the shadow. As soon as my arm moved, the shadow's eyes widened and immediately floated backwards.

I do not know what to think. I have never knew the shadow had any emotions, most of all, fear.

 _What could it be afraid of._

I glare at the torch.

 _Fire._

 _I now know the shadows weakness._

I feel a drop of water contact make contact with my forehead.

 _Oh great._

I feel another few drops of water come down my face.

 _Is this a message from Pan to come back to the camp or something?_

I am not sure what I am going to do, all I know is that I can't just stand here. I need to look for shelter. I look at were the shadow was, the shadow seemed to have left the scene.

I turn to the direction I came in from, and I start running. After running no more then ten steps, the fire goes out. I immediately throw the useless torch to the side.

As I am running, the rain is getting harder and the wind is trashing at every direction. It is hard to open my eyes, and when they are open, I can hardly see what is in front of me. My mind is telling me to stop running, but my body is not corresponding.

The rain and wind is now getting more intense, my surroundings are completely dark.

I cannot see anything.

 _I need to stop running-_

Something hard hits my face. The next thing I know is that I falling backwards. I feel my back hit the muddy ground. The fall shook me. Instead of trying to get up, I just lay there.

 _No, I cannot give up._

 _But why do I keep fighting? I have no reason to escape or live._

Baelfire.

I may not have a family, but he does. And it would be selfish of me not to anything I can to help him get back home.

I need to fight for him.

It is a war with my body to sit up. My hands kept slipping in the mud, making my fall back over and over again. After many attempts, I am finally able to sit up.

I thought after a little while of raining, the rain would stop. But I was wrong. The rain and wind only got worse.

I got on my hands and knees, and I slowly stand up.

 _I need to find shelter._

Even going back to the camp doesn't seem like a bad option.

I start to walk, one foot in front of another. Every step I take is difficult. I take another step, I slip again.

This time, I fall on my face.

I cough up mud. But this time, I waste no time getting back up.

Again, I walk slowly putting one foot in front of another. After what it seemed like hours, I hit something hard. I put my hand on the object, it is a rock.

It takes me a minute to realize I know this rock. It is the cave me and Baelfire were living in. It wasn't covered or anything. Odd, maybe I forgot to cover the entrance the last time I left. On the Brightside, forgetting to cover makes it easy for me to get inside. I walk inside the cave, I cannot see a thing. After walking a few feet, my foot makes contact with something softer then a rock. A mattress.

I slump on the mattress and I feel and grab for a rough blanket. As soon as I feel it, I grab it and cover my numb and cold body. The rain did a number on me. I would be surprised if I didn't get pneumonia.

I close my eyes, and I lose consciousness.

So much for not being tired.

I wake up feeling extremely sore. I don't feel tired.

I sit up and feel my forehead.

Odd, my head isn't hot, or even warm. But my body is still damp and cold from the night before.

I push myself up again, and I am able to stand up without much struggle.

I walked to the front of the cave, once I make to the entrance, I hold on to the rock, and I stare out. The sun is out, and I can hear the loud insects.

I keep walking and I don't stop until I found a berry push a half a mile out.

 _How did I miss this looking for food with Baelfire last week?_

I stop in front of the bush and ate it's purple berries. I know that they are safe because me and Baelfire has been eating them for weeks.

The berries have a sweet taste, but they don't fill me up. But it did give me enough energy to keep going on.

As soon I have eat every decent berry on the bush, I head back to Pan's camp.

On the way to the camp, I kept getting lost. With the long distance between the camp and the cave among most of the island being a jungle. I believe anyone would get lost under those circumstances.

I know I should go directly to Baelfire, but I need to suck up my pride, and go to Pan.

I walk in the camp noticing that no one is guarding the entrance.

Odd.

When I make it to the main big area with the bonfire, I stop and scan my eyes. There is Pan, leaning against tree. He looks as if he was expecting me.

As I walk up to him, many faces were to me.

 _Probably thinking what am I going to do to anger Pan next?_

"We need to talk," I tell Pan quiet enough so only he can hear.

Pan raises his eyebrows.

"Away from prying ears," I say.

"Thought you would be trusting the lost boys by now," Pan says standing up.

We walk to a green area in the camp were there are no one to be seen.

"Well,"? Pan asks crossing his arms.

"To make this clear," I say. "I ask the question you want to hear, and you will answer my questions."

Pan nods "Go ahead, ask the question."

 _He is trying to trick me making it, so I ask the question. But he didn't agree to answer my questions._

"You need to agree first," I say.

"Something that has impressed me. You never agree to a deal unless you are sure the other side has no tricks up their sleeves'," Pan says.

"Will you agree to this are not," I ask getting annoyed of Pan changing the point of the discussion.

"I agree to answer your questions," Pan says. "Now say what I want to hear."

 **Another realm…...**

 **Boy: Joshua**

 **Girl: Morgan**

"Yes, Ellie was one of the three effected by the memory changing effect…...," says Morgan.

Morgan is a blond with straight hair and a long nose. While Joshua is tall with carrot hair.

"We need to find another name for that," Joshua interrupts.

The blonde teenager gives the boy look.

"The name doesn't matter right now. What matters is that Ellie and the two others are alive. And hopefully they are smart enough to keep the fact that they are half-breeds a secret," Morgan says.

She turns to the boy who is looking a bit down.

"You miss them, don't you,"? the blond girl asks her friend.

"Yes, Nathan with his "I know everything," life and Ellie with her…. You know what? I do not know how to describe her," the boy announces.

"She was so selfless….," the girl said. "I hope the new memories didn't change that."

"How long until they get their memories back,"? Joshua asks.

"Joshua," Morgan says sweetly. "When Ellie, and Nathan lost their memories. I don't know how to explain this, mostly because I don't understand it. They time jumped."

"Were you given a hint how far into the future,"?

"I can't be certain….," Morgan says. "But if I had to guess, a time where we are already dead."

"I know this must be hard for you," Joshua says.

Morgan nods trying not to cry.

 **J** oshua knew how she is feeling. But he cared for Ellie.

"I also wish we can go after them," Morgan admits.

"Is there anything we can do for the time being,"? Joshua asks her.

"Besides making sure the world isn't thrown into chaos. I am not sure, "says Morgan.

"Go ahead," Pan says. "Ask."

I take a deep breath and ask, "Who is my father,"?

 **Anyone confused? Should I start adding Anna's real life as flashbacks in the book?**


	9. Chapter 12

**I have no idea what to write on this spot…..**

"Go ahead," Pan says. "Ask."

I take a deep breath and ask, "Who is my father,"?

Pan smirks, knowing he finally got me to do what he wants.

"Your father," Pan tells me. "Didn't care about you."

"Your lying," I tell Pan. "My father did care."

"You have never met the man," Pan says. "He did abandon you after all."

 _He had no choice._

"What was his name,"? I ask Pan.

"He didn't care for you," Pan tells me. "And why would his name matter to you anyway,"?

"That is my business," I tell Pan. "The agreement was that you tell me who my father is."

"I just did," Pan points out. "I told you he was a man who would disown his own child."

 _Did he just say that?_

"Are you mad, Anna,"? Pan teases. "Mad that I found a loophole in the deal? But why would you be? You do that all the time."

"You have no idea how much I want to punch your face," I say clenching my fist.

"That wouldn't be wise," Pan taunts.

I don't bother to ask another question. He would just find a way to answer them without giving the answer I want. If I want answers, I need to get them myself.

I need to talk to someone.

I go to Baelfire's hut. He isn't there.

I walk around the camp, and I see Baelfire talking to one of the lost boys, Stephan.

I walk towards him. Without him noticing, I sit down and listen to the conversation going on between him and Stephan.

"-she didn't tell me much," Baelfire says. "But that is her business."

"Did she mention anything about her parents or any other family members,"? Stephan asks Baelfire.

 _Are they talking about me? If so, why is Stephan interested in my past life? I have only met him once. Chances are, Pan put him up to this._

"Why don't you ask her yourself,"? Baelfire asks Stephan.

"Because I haven't seen her around," Stephan says.

 _Yep, they are definitely talking about me._

"By the way, why aren't you looking for her,"? Stephan asks Baelfire. "She didn't return last night or in the morning; shouldn't you be worried about her,"?

"Anna can take care of herself," Baelfire admits. "And I think she wants to be alone."

"Wait," Stephan says like is realizing something. "How long have you been listening,"?

Stephan and Baelfire's faces turn to look at me.

"Long enough to figure that you have been talking about me. Why the sudden interest in me,"? I ask Stephan.

"I am just trying to get to know the people here," Stephan says in defense.

"But why specifically me,"?

"Were you in the rain last night,"? Baelfire jumping to changing the subject. "Or did you jump in the sea,"?

I just glare at him.

"You are extremely damp," Baelfire explains. "What were you doing,"?

"Don't act like I expected this to happen," I tell Baelfire.

"Why don't you sit by the fire and get some new clothes on,"? Baelfire suggests ignoring the fact that Stephan is sitting next to him listening to every word.

"Where would I get a change of clothes from,"? I ask Baelfire.

"I have a pair," Baelfire offers. "And I know you don't mind wearing boy clothes."

 _Of course he has a pair of extra clothes with him._

Baelfire went to his hut and quickly came with a folded change of clothes. I then left the camp, and I found a private area with a bunch of trees.

I unfold the clothes to see a rough, light brown shirt and pants. I quickly put the clothes on. The pants goes down to a little above my ankles. And the shirt sleeves go down to me elbows. The clothes are not exactly comfortable, but they are dry. My boots are soaked, but I can deal with that.

After a couple of minutes, I head back a different way.

I walk a different path to the camp. I didn't walk that far when I saw on the ground a bow and arrows.

 _Probably belongs to one of the lost boys._

I pick up the bow and an arrow. It wouldn't hurt to learn how to shoot.

I put my damp clothes, and I place an arrow the same way I have watch others done it. I look around for a target. I my right eye, and I aim for middle of a tree truck. Two seconds later, I shoot. The arrow didn't hit even the tree. It hit the ground, about a few feet from the trunk.

I didn't expect to get a perfect shot, but I didn't expect to do this bad.

I shoot another arrow, and again, I missed. Soon, I have used up all of the arrows. Not a single arrow hit the tree.

 _I knew that I don't have a good aim. But honestly, I didn't think that I was this bad._

 _Wait._

 _Devin offered to teach me…._

 _But he is probably mad at me._

 _I will never know unless I ask._

The next thing I do is wonder whether I should bring the bow with me or not. One voice says taking the bow wouldn't be a big deal. Another is saying if I do take the bow, and it belongs to one of the lost boys, a fight will stir up.

I end up taking the bow and the arrows.

Then I walk back to camp. And this time, I didn't become lost.

Baelfire was not hard to find. He is fighting Stephan with wooden sticks. There is a big smile on his face. He seems to be having fun.

He doesn't notice that I am watching.

I place my damp clothes in his hut, and I head back to the main part of camp. I see Devin throwing his spear on a painted-on target on a large tree.

Like Baelfire, he doesn't notice that I am standing there. I walk toward him until I am right behind him.

"Hey," I say trying to get Devin's attention. He either doesn't hear that or pretends not to.

"Hey,"! I say louder. Devin turns around to face me.

"Decided to finally talk to me? What do you what,"? Devin asks.

"I want to learn how to shoot," I tell him.

Devin looks at me, "where did you get those from,"? he says gesturing to my bow and arrows.

"Found them on the ground," I admit.

"There is so much you need to learn," Devin says in an annoyed tone.

"I know," I admit. "And I am hoping that you help me with that."

"This is what's going to happen," Devin tells me. "I will teach you what it takes to be one of us. Among that, you will learn how to aim."

I know what he getting at. He will teach me not to be a nuisance to Pan, in exchange, he will teach me how to aim.

I am already working on not causing trouble. And I am failing miserably.

But with Devin's help…

It's a win-win situation for me.

"I can work with that," I tell Devin.

Devin nodded, "Follow me," he says.

I follow him out of the camp, and into the woods.

"I want to see how you hold a bow and arrow," Devin says.

I take the bow off my shoulder, and I place an arrow in it like I am going to shoot.

"Are you always this tense,"? Devin asks me.

"I have never noticed myself being tense," I tell admit.

"You need to relax a bit," Devin tells me.

"You expect me to relax if I am trying to shoot for food or defense,"? I ask Devin.

"Your can excite your mind or the rest of your body as much as you want to," Devin says. "But you need to relax your shoulders."

Then he takes a look at the rest of my body.

"You shouldn't slouch so much," Devin critics me.

Its been years since I have cared if I slouched or not. But nonetheless, I do straighten up my back.

I put the bow and arrow down.

"What now,"? I ask Devin. "Do I need to fix my stance too,"?

"No," Devin replies. "Use whatever stance you are comfortable with."

I lift up the bow and arrow, I aim for a large tree.

Seconds later, I let go of the arrow.

The arrow hit the tree right next to it.

"Have you ever tried to shoot an arrow before,"? Devin asks me.

I nod, "Less than an hour ago."

"Was it this bad,"? Devin asks me with no sympathy in his voice.

"Worse," I admit.

"You certainly not a natural. But if put time into this, you will be able to hit the right tree in maybe year from now."

 _A year? That is too long._

"Any shortcuts,"? I ask Devin.

"You really don't have the patience for anything, do you? And the answer is no; there is no short cuts to achieving this skill," Devin replies.

 **Many years ago, in the realm without magic.**

Eleanor is my name. Except my father, he calls me Ella every now and then.

My father doesn't approve many things, including:

Make-up.

Sweets (Exclusions were made for special occasions.

Dirty jokes.

Being around people of bad influences.

Dating.

I must mind my manners and everything I do must have effort. Among those are many other rules. My father promised to explain to me why he had all these rules when I got older.

I never understand why I have to follow all of his rules. He is hardly at home. He will leave for work and not come back from a day up to a month. He would leave my step-mother to take care of me. I neither liked or disliked her. She wasn't cruel and unfair; she is just too obedient.

My father doesn't trust the school system to teach his daughter. Because of that, he hired a tutor to come to my house six days a week to teach me. That person is a lady named Beverly Rivard. She would teach me math, reading, and writing. I am ok at math, but my other subjects… are not going so well.

I am surprised that I have the luxury of having a private tutor. All of this money my father has should be going to help the war that is going on. Rumors are that this war is the worst in the history of wars. Everyone in the state of South Carolina are saving everyone penny and scrap of metal to help America win the war. And here I am, living with good food and private lessons.

Whenever he is home, we go for runs, do a bit of hand to hand contact fighting. On top of that, he teaches me how to use a hand gun. Another luxury that I shouldn't have. The only others who are allowed to use and have guns are soldiers. I have no idea of what my father's work is. All I know is that it is important, and it pays the bills.

"Eleanor," Mrs. Rivard says. It is a Wednesday morning, in the month of March, South Carolina, in the year 1943. My father was away in a business trip, as usual.

"I got a new student roughly your age," she announces.

Make that two families who are not saving every scrap for the war effort.

"She and you have your strengths and weaknesses. She is great at reading, writing. You are excelling in mathematics; I would like to see you two tutor each other." Mrs. Rivard tells me.

"I would love to do that," I respond.

Yes, I am interested. But more because I want company more then I want to get better at school subjects.

"I must first talk to your father when he returns from his trip. Did he mention when he will return,"? Mrs. Beverly asked me.

"He told me he will try to be home tomorrow, around eleven or twelve at night," I respond.

After my teacher left, I took a walk outside. Many buds are out, not ready to bloom to flowers yet. But I don't really care for them. The plants have been there as long as I can remember. They bloom, they die, repeat. For many people, the flowers are the reason for walks. I walk to get out the house. Spending most of my day under one roof gets me nuisance.

"Good afternoon isn't it Eleanor,"? my neighbor Ms. Sharron asks.

"Yes, it is," I respond.

After a half and hour of talking with Ms. Sharron I head back to the house.

My neighbors are nice to me, but I can tell that they judge my family.

Right before I unlock the front door, I do something I haven't done in a while. I look at my house. It is a one story with three bedrooms, a small kitchen and dining room, a living room, laundry room, and two wash rooms. The outside itself has a modest size cut green yard. My father was always strict about me keeping my toys off the lawn. Right in front of the front door, there is a small porch with a rocking chair and a mat.

I go into the door, which goes into the kitchen. My stepmother is here, making roast beef and mash potatoes.

When she sees me, she says "your father came home early, he wants to talk to you."

 _Early from a work trip? That has never happened before._

I head to my father's room. I stand in front of the closed door. I take a breath, and I knock.

"Enter," my father says.

I opened the door, and I walked into the bedroom. The father is sitting on his bed.

"You wanted to see me,"? I ask.

"Yes," my father responds. "We are going to practice shooting as soon as I change my shirt."

"Already,"? I ask my father. "You just got home."

Odd thing about my father. Usually when parents come home from a day of work, they will want nothing to do but to rest. But not my father.

My father is always on my feet; and he expects everyone else to be able to do the same.

I head to the basement. There are targets all shapes and sizes. The reason for using the basement is the fact that nobody, even my stepmother, doesn't know my father is teaching me how to use a gun. Hearing shots isn't an issue either; the basement is sound proof. Keeping my mouth shut isn't that hard, because there is no one I talk to about my troubles.

I never understood why he makes me use a gun. All jobs women In America do not involve guns. But my father tells me I will understand soon. He says that about everything. Why he is so strict, what is his job, and why he leaves great lengths of time.

"You are not focusing,"! my father yells at me.

I aim the gun at the target again. The noise is like poison to my ears. When I first started shooting, I shot my ears feel like an explosion of noise. Over time, it became bearable.

I aim at the staying still target. I pull the trigger, and I miss only by a couple of inches.

"Why are you not hitting the target,"? my father asks me in a disappointing voice.

"I am doing my best," I say. "But shooting a gun isn't one of my strong suits."

"We have been working on this for two years now," my father says. "You shoot be able to shoot mosquito yards away by now."

Then he moves closer so I his mouth is close to were my ear is.

"Ella, hit the target," he says.

And I did. I always did what he told me to. Even if I don't want to. Every time I try to disobey, my chest would hurt like hell.

 **Back to Neverland….**

The next half an hour was spent trying to hit even the outskirts of tree. And with every miss, Devin got more impatient.

"I can tell you are tired of watching me," I say. "Same time, tomorrow."

"You really need to work on this," Devin tells me.

"I have notice," I groan.

Me and Devin head back to the camp. He goes fight Felix, and I go to find Baelfire. He is drawling something on the ground while sitting on a log.

"Hey," I say having a seat next to him.

"You are a confusing person, Anna," Baelfire says.

"How so,"? I ask Baelfire.

He doesn't reply.

"Baelfire, why were you and Stephan talking about me earlier,"? I ask him cutting to the chase.

"Stephan was curious why a girl was on the island," Baelfire replies.

"But why did he ask about my family,"? I ask.

"Why don't you ask him yourself,"? Baelfire asks me.

"I am going to be truthful, I think everyone is more honest to you then me," I tell Baelfire.

"Why do you always see the worst in people,"? Baelfire asks me.

"It is just one of my traits," I respond.

"It isn't a good one," Baelfire points out.

"I will be the judge of that."

Then there is silence between us.

 **Back to the past…**

My father gave permission to have some of my lessons with the girl. But in one condition, my skills must improve.

 **Two months later….**

The girl's name is Molly. She is extremely nice. For the first time in my life, I have a girl to talk to. She would arrive early and stay late so we can talk.

Molly is thirteen years old, a year older than me. The most noticeable feature is her straight, blond hair. My father is away on a work trip. But I note to myself to ask him if I can invite Morgan over for tea.

 **Two and a half months later…...**

My father has been gone for four months now. I can't remember the last time he has been gone this long. Atop of that, Molly moved.

"Eleanor," my stepmother says getting my mind into focus. "Your father has arrived, and he wants to see you."

The same speech whenever my father comes home.

I head to my father's room, and like normal routine, I knock. He tells me to enter.

I wait for him to him to tell me that we are shooting. But he doesn't.

"We are leaving," my father says calmly.

"Where are we going to,"? I ask my father.

"We are leaving this realm," he responds.

"Father, I have not learned the meaning "realm" yet," I tell him.

"You have a lot to learn," my father says. "Your questions will be answered, but we must leave first."

"Why are we leaving,"? I ask my father.

"Ella," my father says. "Shut up until we reach our destination."

And I did.

 **Neverland…**

The next few days were spent trying to hit the target. I have made some progress…. hardly. About everyone other day I would hit an inch or two closer to the target. And as for me and Baelfire, we have small talks here and there. But we have been a bit distant. He has told me that he goes back to the cave every morning to scratch a mark on the cave wall per a day he has been here. I have been trying to figure out why Stephan is interested in me. He has been trying to talk with me. I also have been careful of what I answer.

I actually made friends with one of the lost boys. Mathew, who has been pleasant company. But there are also the lost boys who act like I am a nuisance. John still hasn't forgiven me for that incident a while back. And whenever I make eye contact like Felix, he looks as if he wants to murder me. The weird part is that I hardly have seen Pan. He shows his face only at night. He plays his flute and then everything goes black. The next morning, everyone would find themselves laying on the ground.

But besides that, things have been good. Well, at least better than my first few weeks in Neverland. I have discovered more about the island every day.

"Wake up Anna," someone said shaking me awake. I groggily slowly open my eyes. I look at my surroundings. I am on the ground, and on my side, Devin is shaking me awake.

"What do you want,"? I ask groaning.

"It's not what I want, it is what you want," he responds. "I believe you are the one who told me that you want to learn how to aim."

I get off the ground, and I pull out a flask hanging from my belt. I quickly drink the rest of my water as I walk with Devin.

After a while of walking and running, we make it to our usual practice area. Like usual, I make hardly any progress. And that annoys the heck out of Devin.

"Are you trying to miss the target,"? Devin asks me.

"Are you trying to even help me,"? I ask him.

"What do you think I am doing,"? he asks.

"Acting like a critic that thinks I should be able to accomplish this on first try," I reply.

"Aren't you like that with Baelfire,"? Devin asks firing back.

 _He is right. I do treat Baelfire like this._

"Whatever," I say. "I am done for the day."

"Giving up,"? Devin asks.

"No," I respond. "I am just done for the day."

Before he can say anything else, I walk away.

 _I know I keep discussing this with myself. Why do I keep treating Baelfire unfairly? Many things don't make since anymore…. I cannot remember pieces of my life, and the memories I do have are not making sense._

With those thoughts, I head back to the camp.

The first thing I do is look for Baelfire's crazy curly hair. In this island, it is difficult sometimes to distinct boy from boy. To make things harder, all of them wear similar clothes.

After a few minutes of scanning my ears, I see Baelfire fighting with a wooden sword with Mathew.

Its funny how when I first met Baelfire, he seemed to be against anything violent. But here he is, fighting with a wooden sword.

I have plenty of time doing nothing. I can spend the rest of the day looking for clues on getting out of the island.

Right before I leave, I hear a loud whistle. For the first time in a week, I hear Pan's voice shout, "Gather around! We are going to play a game,"!

Quicker then a wink, all of the lost boys drop what they are doing and gather around Pan.

"We are going to have a climbing race…," Pan announces.

I quickly make my way out of the camp. Even if I was interested, my arm strength isn't that good.

"Going somewhere,"? I hear Pan's voice say.

I turn around, "Don't you have orders to give out? That's what you call fun anyway."

"Your right," Pan says. "It will be fun, which makes me wonder why you would miss it."

"Climbing ropes is not my idea of having fun," I say.

Right when I say that, I remember one of Devin's lessons. _Always include yourself in Pan's activities._

But I have no intention of including myself in this competition.

"You have never done it before, it will be fun, I promise. And I always keep my promises," Pan says.

"And what if I don't,"? I ask him.

"You are breaking the deal then. Being a lost one includes being involved in the activities," Pan says.

I mentally scream. I hate when he is right.

"Fine then," I say. "I will _watch_."

Nothing else was said, he teleports, and I walk back to the part in the camp where the competition is going to be at.

There are five ropes. I look up; there are five lost boys nearly touching the top. All the lost boys on the ground are cheering loudly.

The lost boy who won the first round is Felix. No surprise there.

Then five more lost boys started climbing. After them, five more. I watch as the number of boys surrounding me withers.

"Next five up," Pan calls up.

The last four lost boys take their positions and wait for Pan's order for them to start climbing

"We are waiting on you Anna," Pan finally says after some time passed.

"I didn't say I was going to climb," I tell him.

"The race won't start unless you get on your spot," Pan says.

 _I now really wish I didn't listen to Devin._

All eyes are on me as I get on my climbing spot.

I am going to humiliate myself.

"Its all about the strength of your legs," I hear someone murmur behind me.

I turn my eyes to see Stephan quickly moving away from me.

It takes me a few seconds to realize what he is pointing out. Watching the other boys, they would move their feet up, and their arms would make the rest of their body straight.

"Go,"! I hear Pan shout before I am mentally ready. I quickly jump and tangle my legs with the rope. I push my hands up, grab rope, secure myself, push up with my feet, repeat. When I reach the top, I hesitate, but I do not look down.

Right there, I realize that I do not know how to slide down. And I wasn't focused enough watching the lost boys climb down to figure it out.

"Anna,"! Hear someone shout. "Look at what I am doing,"!

I look to my left to see Mathew sliding down. I copy his position, and I quickly slide down.

I am the last one down, but I at least I made out of it.

Next, the lost boys who won their match, competed with each other for the final winner. Soon enough, the contest lost me in any interest.

A loud noise interrupts my thinking. I bring my focus back to see Felix won. There were a mix of boos and cheers. I look at Felix's face to see a huge smirk.

Time for me to leave.

I turn around, but before I take another step, I head "Time for the foot race,"!

Is he fricken kidding me?

"No rules," announces. "Everyone against everyone! Whoever makes to Dark Hollow first wins,"!

 _What is Dark Hollow?_

"On my count,"! he shouts. "One, tw- go,"!

Everybody, excluding Pan, starts running. Surprising, I am faster than all of the lost boys, making me in the lead.

Probably because of my experience of running.

There is just one issue, I have no idea where I am going. I purposely slow down enough for a few of the boys to pass me up. I will just follow them.

After what it feels like miles of running, I notice that a little more then half a dozen of us left. To be honest, I feel exhausted. But I know I have enough energy to go a little more.

"Almost there," One the boys say to himself.

I directly ahead. I see a dim, red glow from a small distance. That must be it. My legs start to give out.

 _Keep going! I can make it!_

What am I thinking?

I know that I rather stay alive then to die from exhaustion.

I try to stop my legs, but they won't correspond. Its like my feet have a mind of its own. Instead of stopping them, I try to slow them down. But instead, they go up to full speed.

 _What in the world?_

Then my feet suddenly collapse. And for the first time, I am glad that they do.

I get on my hands and knees.

My legs are wobbly, but I am able to stand up and walk.

As I walk, I see a figure come toward me. I continue to walk forward to see its Baelfire.

"How are you not knocked out,"? he asks me.

"Reasons," I reply.

"Pan was using his flute to control you," Baelfire tells me.

That explains things.

"Why would he do that,"? I ask him.

"It seems like he wanted you to win the race," Baelfire replies.

Then things clicked.

"He wants me to feel like I won," I announce. "Its part of his plan of making me want to stay. But that didn't work, my feet gave out."

Baelfire gives me a looking telling me he is confused.

"I have told before that he probably realized he cannot force me to stay in Neverland; that or I just make things difficult for him," I reminded him.

"I understand now," Baelfire says.

Then he drops the subject, "I am heading back to camp, care to join,"?

"Sure," I respond. "Before we go, I need to apologize."

"What did you do,"? he asks me.

"I don't know how to put this in words. I have been unpleasant to be around," I say.

"You can be nice sometimes, you know," Baelfire tells me. "But you never notice when you are."

"Friends,"? he asks.

"Friends," I say.

 **Ok, so Anna (finally!) made peace with some of the lost boys and Baelfire. The flashbacks will be getting more intense…**

 **Please comment!**


	10. Hit the Target

**Some people can't believe in themselves until someone else believes in them first- Sean Maguire, Good Will Hunting** (Never watched it, I just like this quote.)

I do not know whether the changes that have been going on are for the better or not. Whenever I try to have alone time so I can try to find a way to escape, Pan always comes up with a challenge or activity. On the Brightside, my aim has been getting better. Well, if you count hitting the outskirts of a target better.

Today, I plan on skipping bow and arrow practicing with Devin. Baelfire and I agreed to free up our time to go around the island and discuss ideas.

"Why are you missing practice again,"? Devin asks me.

"First off, I have never missed a practice, I just left early. And second, think of it as a break for yourself," I tell Devin.

"You do know how to bribe someone," Devin admits. "Instead, I'll take the week off and you practice on your own."

I am relieved that he said that. Honestly, I need a break from Devin.

As soon as he walks away, I hear someone say, "You ready to get out of here,"?

Baelfire.

"Yes," I respond.

 **Continuation from the last pass scene…**

"Why are we leaving,"? I ask my father.

"Ella," my father says. "Shut up until we reach our destination."

I instantly close my mouth.

"Meet me in the basement, I will be there soon," my father says.

I use my key to unlock the door down to the basement. As I walk inside the large room, I take a look around. Nothing out of the ordinary.

I take a seat on a plain, wooden chair, waiting for my father.

 _What is going on? Is the war coming to this part of America? Maybe we are moving to a safer place._

After an uncomfortable twenty minutes, I finally hear footsteps walking down to the basement.

I instantly stand up and straighten my skirt.

"What you see may scare you," my father says. "Do not scream or leave."

I nod because I cannot speak.

He throws something on the floor.

As soon as the object made contact with the floor, a huge, green whirl pool appears. _I must be seeing things._ I rub my eyes; the whirlpool is still there.

 _My eyes are playing tricks on me._

"Jump in," my father orders me.

 _Did I hear that right?_

I just stand there, frozen.

"Ella, jump in,"! my father says.

I close my eyes and jump into the green whirlpool. A few seconds later, I feel myself falling in the air, then I fall hard on what it feels like a grassy ground. I open my eyes and push myself up. My eyes see a field with nothing to be seen expect grass and a tree here and there.

I hear a feet hitting the ground behind me. I turn around to see my father and the green whirlpool. The whirlpool suddenly disappears.

"What is this place,"? I ask my father. We are at his destination, so I am allowed to speak.

"The first thing you should know is that magic is real," my father says.

I would ask my father if he was joking, but he doesn't joke.

 _And how do I explain the green whirlpool that changed my location?_

"We need to get going," my father says.

 **Neverland:**

"I want to go visit Dark Hollow," I say when Baelfire asks me were I want to go visit.

"Do you even know what is in that place,"? Baelfire asks me.

"No," I say shaking my head.

"I have heard from rumors that were the shadows spend their time when they are not being summoned," Baelfire tells me.

"Have you actually been inside Dark Hollow,"? I ask him.

He shakes his head.

"You do not have to come, but I am going there," I announce.

"With how much I don't like what you are doing, I will still go with you," Baelfire tells me.

After he said that, we both start walking to Dark Hollow.

"And Anna, don't faint this time,"? Baelfire jokes as we walk.

I laugh and say, "First off, I didn't faint; my legs gave out. Secondly, we are not running."

After twenty minutes of walking, I decide to say, "I think we should run."

"Your joking, right"? Baelfire asks me.

"No," I reply. "We will be at Dark Hollow by tomorrow if we keep heading there by this pace," I respond to him.

"Good point," Baelfire admits. "But please don't get too ahead of me."

I say nothing.

 **The past…**

I cannot believe this. For the past hour or two, I have listening to my father talk about how magic is real, and what realms are.

But there is an important detail he did not tell me.

"Permission to ask a question," I say.

"Permission granted," he replies.

"Is this were you have been going to for your work trips,"? I ask my father.

"Yes," he responds.

"What is your job,"? I ask my father.

"I protect the lands," my father replies.

"Please help me understand," I say.

"There is a group of creatures, who attack the peace of this world," my father replies.

"I am going to presume you are not referring to the Nazi's,"? I ask him.

"No," my father responds. "I have nothing to do with that war."

"Why didn't you raise me here,"? I ask.

"I did not want to deal with a child here," he responds.

 _I am still a child. I am not even a teenager yet._

I know I have no choice in what he has planned. But my idea of the life my father wanted for me is far from this.

"Does Mary (my stepmother's name) know about anything, like magic,"? I ask him.

"No," he responds.

"Were does she think we are,"? I ask my father.

"It doesn't matter. But if it did, she does not know that we left the house," my father responds.

"Are you going to go back to tell her,"? I ask my father.

"No," my father responds.

I bite my lip. I may have never had a close relationship with my stepmother, but just to leave her like that is unfair.

 **Neverland….**

Running did shorten the trip. By the time me and Baelfire were close enough to see the cave, we both were out of breath.

"I know…. We…. are…. close…., but…. I am going ….to…. take a…... small…... break," Baelfire pants out.

We both sit on the ground, drinking water that we carried.

After a couple minutes of not saying a word, I say "I am ready to keep going."

"Might as well," I hear Baelfire mumble.

We both stand up and walk to the cave. As I get closer, the cave's orange-red glow becomes brighter. Among that are long, black creatures floating about.

 _Shadows._

Me and Baelfire stand behind a rock in front of the entrance. Instead of going straight inside, I get a good look inside the cave. And used to think looking at one shadow was scary.

"Baelfire, I have seen enough," I admit.

"Let us go then," Baelfire says with relief in his voice.

We are careful to be quiet as we exit the area.

After we are in a distance that I feel safe in, Baelfire breaks the silence and says, "So why did we go all that way to just turn back,"?

"For the exercise," I joke.

"Your joking right,"? Baelfire asks me.

"Yes," I respond.

"You have gotten better at jokes. But still, what made you decide to turn back,"? Baelfire asks me getting back to the point.

"I had a feeling that there was something hidden in there," I admit. "Something Pan was trying to scare us away from."

"How is your practices with Devin going,"? Baelfire asks me changing the subject.

"Horrible," I admit.

The rest of the walk/run was spent with small talk.

By the time we got back to the camp, night fall is here. Baelfire is exhausted. Because of that, he calls it a night. As for me, I still have plenty energy left. I might as well use my time to practice archery. Baelfire has asked me not to go out in night alone. But what he does not know, cannot hurt him. Usually, Baelfire is up longer, but that long walk can get anyone exhausted.

I walk over to the bench with weapons covering every inch. I pick up a bow, arrows, and a torch. The lost boys are too busy having sword fights to notice me. The next thing I do is head out of the camp.

"Stealing when I am not looking are we,"? a voice behind me says right after I leave camp. I turn around and see Pan.

I ignore him.

"I am going to play another game," Pan says.

"Not interested," I state.

"I would n…," he starts.

"Pan," I hear one of the lost boys shout.

Without saying another word, Pan disappears.

I take that distraction and run off. Instead of going to my normal practice spot, I go to find another place to practice.

Like every usual night in Neverland, the only natural light I get is two stars. I walk until the fire from the campsite cannot be seen.

I light up the torch I am carrying. It didn't take me too long to find an area in the jungle. Because I have done it so many times, I have no struggle making a small fire with barely any light.

After picking up the bow and arrow, I aim for a large object a few feet away from me. I am going to guess it is a tree. Right before I shout, I hear something creeping up on the side. I aim the arrow in the direction of the sound, and I instantly let go of the arrow.

The next thing I know is the sound of my arrow hitting a body.

 **The past.**

I am sitting on a chair, waiting for something to happen. There is no one else in the room, and my father gave me orders not to leave. I have to admit, I am extremely bored. The room is completely white expect for the furniture. That includes: A brown table with interesting carvings I have never seen the likings of. There are a couple of odd light sources that look like they are floating in the air, and then there are the six brown chairs surrounding the table.

I cannot be sure were I am at. My father knocked me out after a good fifteen minutes after I asked him about my stepmother. When I woke up, I was sitting on the same chair with a note written by father.

 **Eleanor:**

 **Stay where you are, someone will be meeting you. This person may or may not be me. But whoever he/or she is, you will listen and take orders from them.**

I scan the paper to see if I missed anything. My skills of reading are poor. Something Molly pointed out was I am so focused on reading the words, the story itself does not make sense. I scan the paper a few times, and I cannot find anything mentioning how long he or she will take.

Slowly time passes by. I wish this room had a clock, so I can know the time. As time passes, I force myself to let my mind wonder.

The door opening makes me feel scared and relieved at the same time.

I turn my head to see a lady in blue with frizzy hair come in. I immediately stand up.

"Where is my father,"? I ask the lady.

The lady bit her lip and replies, "He entrusted you with me. Sit back down."

I quickly sat back down placing my hands on my lap.

"I am going to presume you are going to tell me why I am here," I say.

"I have been informed you have no knowledge of who your birth mother is," the lady says staring at me. _Why did she ignore what I am saying?_

"That is true," I admit.

"That helps things…," the lady in blue mumbles to herself.

"And I almost forgot," she mumbles to herself again. She takes out a pointy, shiny metal and waves it.

I feel something cold and solid around my wrists. Looking down, I see thick, metal cuffs around my wrists and ankles. This is the second time today I have seen magic being used. I do not believe I will get used to it.

"Why did you do that,"? I ask the lady quietly.

"Because you are dangerous," the lady responds.

As soon as she says that, I start breathing heavily.

 _What is going to happen to me? And why did she call me dangerous? How am I dangerous? I have never hurted anyone except for a few accidents._

"Where is my father? He will tell you that I have never done anything to purposely hurt anyone," I say desperately.

The lady ignores me and waves the pointy metal and my body tenses up, and I feel my body standing up. I try fight my body, but the force controlling it is too strong. The force forces my feet off the floor.

The lady uses her wand to open up the door and walks out with me following her. I could not believe my eyes on what the hall looked like. The ground looks like clouds and if I were to stand on them, I would fall through. But the lady who has me under her control walked into the hall with no issues. The walls are plain and white.

"…did not make the right precautions," I hear the lady says to herself. "She should been already tied up before she got here."

Does she know I can hear her?

"—I do not want to frighten the others," the lady says to herself. I am guessing she thinks she is quiet enough for me not to hear her.

The next thing I know, I am floating in what it looks like to be a jail cell. There are thick bars separating me, and the lady in blue. The lady flicks her wand and I fall on the ground. The landing was rougher then the one earlier today.

"This is were you will staying until… well until I see fit," the lady says. "And before you get your hopes up, your father was in this plan. He has handed you off to me. And as for you, you will stay here and be use for me."

With a flick of her pointy metal, the chains around my legs and wrists vanish. And so does the lady.

 **Neverland…**

I stop breathing for a few seconds.

Did I hurt someone? Or perhaps worse; did I kill one of the lost boys?

I defiantly hit something, and whatever it was, it did not make any noise. Forcing my mind to focus, I pick up a torch and walk to toward the object. I am relieved to see the object to be a small animal. The torch was not helping me see what the species is, but what matters is the fact I can breathe again.

That is enough practicing for me today.

I use the weak light to take me back to the cave. I rather stay there than Pan's camp. I am not tired, but it would not hurt to try to get some rest.

The walk to the cave did not feel long. My thoughts made the time pass fast.

I uncover the entrance to the cave and head to my mattress.

"Anna is that you,"? a voice in the dark says.

I turn toward the direction of the voice.  
"Why aren't you at the camp, Baelfire,"? I ask him.

"I find that I sleep better here. Staying at the camp…... did not feel right.," he says. "What about you,"?

"The mattress is more comfortable then the ground and a blanket," I respond.

As I take my boots off and place my large knife on my side, Baelfire lights a lantern making my vision better. The first thing I notice is tallies on the walls.

"Still counting days,"? I ask Baelfire.

"I have faith we will be rescued," he responds. I noted right away that he said _we._ In a usual case, I would say something back about having too much faith. But I decide to keep my mouth shut.

Instead I lay on the mattress, trying to fall asleep. I _should_ be tired and able to fall asleep without any effort.

"What is favorite food,"? Baelfire asks me out of the random.

"Mushrooms," I respond opening my eyes back up. "Why you ask,"?

"Just curious," he shrugs. "I thought you were going to say either wild rabbit or food is only a substance for survival." As he said that last part, I can tell he was trying to mimic me.

I laugh sarcastically.

"What was your favorite meal before you got to Neverland,"? I ask Baelfire.

"Only before I got on the island? I would have said wild snake."

"What is with the sense of humor? You sounded tired five minutes ago." I know he joking because a while back. We were hungry and the only animal we could see was a snake. The snake was card to catch, and it gave me the scares. After a while of gripping it and trying to avoiding it biting us. We brought it back to cave and Baelfire tried to cook it, but after one bite of the snake, Baelfire gagged and said that he rather eat the cave wall. I took a couple of bites and pushed away. I decided to keep the leftover snake to attract other animals. We ended up eating berries, it didn't make us full, but it was something.

"I know you will not fall asleep right away, might as well do something to pass the time. And to answer your question, my favorite meal was when my Papa would be able to cook up a hog. But that was before the war spread to the land," Baelfire admits.

I am a bit shaken. This is the first time he talks about his time with his Papa without his voice trembling.

"I have a question, and please do not get awkward," Baelfire says.

"I will try my best not to."

"What is your favorite hair style,"?

"My usual tight bun," I respond. "Why are you curious,"?

He shrugs, "I do not know. I always wandered how girls deal with their hair."

"Did you try asking that darling girl,"?

"I did not. You seem less awkward being asked certain questions."

"Well, if you must know, it does get annoying dealing with my hair every day. Keeping it up all day, it gets knotty and filthy, making it irritate my neck. I have been considering to cut it," I admit. "I have to admit; your hair does look very irritating."

"It can be," he admits.

I chuckle after he says that.

"What did I say that was funny,"? he asks me.

"When we first meant, I did not really expect us to have a conversation on hair," I reply.

"Strange things happen when someone is tired."

"I want to rest, but I am not going to sleep any time soon," I admit. "If you want, I can leave and come back when I am sleepy."

"Are you can try sleeping. I never understood how you get less then five hours of sleep, but you can go on all day without getting sleep deprived."

"Cannot give you an answer to that."

I lain my head back down and stare at the ceiling. Baelfire blows out the light and I close my eyes trying to fall asleep.

The next fifteen minutes were spent of squinting my eyes, staying still (which is nearly impossible for me) and trying to think of ideas for tomorrow.

 _This is pointless._ I tell myself. _If I cannot sleep, then I need to make use of my time. How can I get out without waking Baelfire?_

I sit up and feel around feel my way off the "mattress" and feel around the area for my boots. After a few seconds, I grab my boots and I slowly walk out of the cave. Every time I shuddered onto a small rock, I would bite my lit to keep myself from making noise. Luckily for me, I did not put on the cover to the cave. As soon as I walk outside, I grab my knife and put my shoes on. I walk a little out, and I move around to look for a good stick for fire.

Something caught the corner of my eyes. I walk toward the object to discover it is a torch.

 _Perfect._

I grab the torch and make a fire. I walk in a clear path through the tall, fat trees. The walk was not too long. As the end of the trail, there is an unused, strong, and made of straw human shaped fighting tool. Some of the boys call it a _dummy._

I take out my large knife and I splash the knife like it is a sword. I splashed it in different angles. When I was done, the dummy was surrounded by small pieces of straw. This gives me satisfaction.

 _The lost boys are going to be mad that I messed up their dummy._

Oh, well. Pan can make them one with a flick of his hand.

"Glad to know that I am not the only one who goes for midnight practice," A voice says making me jump.

I scramble my brain trying to figure who does that voice belong to.

 _Definitely not Pan._ I gag thinking about him speaking to me. Not Baelfire, or-

"I thought leaving a torch near a tree is dangerous," the voice says interrupting my thoughts.

I turn around to see Mathew lifting up my torch.

"Aren't you supposed to be dancing around a fire,"? I ask the boy.

"No dancing tonight," the boy responds. "And shouldn't you be sleeping,"?

"Did Pan give out a new bedtime,"? I ask with an attitude in my tone.

"No," Mathew responds.

"I have been going out every other night for a while now," the boy admits.

 _After an exhausting day?_

"Why did you help me the other day with the ropes,"? I ask Mathew.

"Being a lost boy does not take the part of me that wants to help others," he responds.

"Thanks for the help," I say.

"I cannot recall ever hearing you saying thank you," he responds.

"It has been a while since I had a reason to."

Then there is awkward pause.

"You want to work on knife and hand work,"? Mathew asks me breaking up the silence.

 _It would not hurt to work on my skills._

"Sure," I respond. "Why not,"?

As soon as he places down the torch, I put my arm around his neck and my ankle behind him, and a quickly sweep him. When he looked up, he looked shocked that I started right away.

"Sorry, were you planning for us to start when you were ready,"? I ask apologizing.

"Are you being sarcastic,"?

"No," I respond. "I am trying to apologize."

Even in the dark, I can tell he is giving me a confused look

 _Oh, I forgot. No apologizing…_

"Still having trouble following the rules,"? he asks me.

"I think I made that obvious," I respond.

"Who taught you how to fight like that,"? Mathew asks me. "You seem too experienced to have just learned this on the island."

 _You would be surprised._

"I have a lot of motivation to get good at some sort of fighting style," I say.

"And what exactly is your motivation,"? he asks sounding nervous.

"My only motivation at the moment to trying to stay alive. I will let you know if I can think of another reason," I respond being not sure how to respond.

After a thirty second silence, I ask, "You want a rematch,"?

I wake up to a noise. Groaning and shutting my eyes tightly, my memories from last night flood my mind. Me and Mathew spent some time working on our hand skills. Something if off about him, he seems to be afraid of me. After a long while of combat fighting, I called it a night and head back to the cave. All I did after that was remove my boots and slumping on my _bed._

"Where did you go last night,"? Baelfire asks me.

"I could not sleep, so I went out and trained a bit," I respond without opening my eyes.

"Do you plan on getting up, or you plan to sleep for another three hours,"?

"Give me five minutes," I groan.

"Correction, you mean five hours."

Groaning loudly, I open up my eyes and sit up. I quickly get ready for another day on the island. I am not hungry now, but I will be in an hour or two.

There are days in my life were I just want to have a lazy day. Today is one of those days. But I can have never let my myself have a day of rest. Unless I find myself sick. And when I say sick, I do not mean a cold of headache, I mean not stop vomiting or a migraine. It has been a long time since I had a day like that.

As soon as I am ready. Baelfire and I leave the cave.

After we got breakfast, me and Baelfire head to the camp. There was something unusual going on there. As we got closer, I notice a couple new faces. And currently, they are surrounded by the other lost boys.

"Are you not going to introduce yourself to the newcomers,"? I ask Baelfire.

"I will wait for everyone to get bored and leave them alone. And then I will go introduce myself to them," he replies.

"Start plan," I say without looking at him. "I have no reason to be at the camp besides making sure Pan is not suspicious of us. But currently he is busy. "

"And were do you plan on going,"? Baelfire asks me.

"To get a haircut," I say half-heartily.

I feel like Baelfire thought I was joking. I explained to him that sometimes when I do serious fighting, like with John a while back, my hair becomes a disadvantage. It is still long enough to put in a ponytail, but that is it.

Baelfire did update that they are hazing the new lost boys. One of the outrageous hazing is when Pan gets Felix to put an apple of his head. The lost boy would then shoot the apple off his head with an arrow dipped in dream shade. He told me that two of the three boys hesitated at this activity. He noted that it seemed like those two were forced to be here.

They will break. I know this because when Pan brought a large number of lost boys, some of them rebelled. I did not know this at that current time. Some took longer than others, but he eventually broke them all.

I do a mixture of collecting food and working with my aim until night fall. When night comes, I decide to head to the Lost Boy's camp before I go back to the cave for the night. As I walk into the camp, I note a new face. The boy has dark brown hair and is shorter than most of the other lost boys. By the look on his face, I can tell he looking around as if he was looking for someone.

I take a seat on a log and take out the food I mixed for myself.

"Hello."

I jump to hearing that small voice. Looking up form my food, I see a boy with dark brown eyes and hair. But that is not the first thing I noticed. This boy must be younger than any of the lost boys here.

"Can I help you,"? I ask the young boy.

"Just wanted to say hello," the boy says quickly.

I pick up my food again, but right before I can take another bite, the boy asks:

"What is that,"? he asks pointing to my food.

"Rabbit," I respond.

"Is there any other girls are the island,"?

"None that I know of, unless you count mermaids."

"Then why are you here,"?

"You are full of questions aren't you,"? I ask placing down my rabbit.

"I am sorry! Please do not hit me,"! the boy shrieked causing some of boys stopping their activities to see the commotion.

"Why would I hit you,"? I ask the boy lowering my voice. "You have done nothing wrong,"?

"Everyone I knew would hit me if I do anything wrong, that includes asking too many questions," the boy says quickly looking at the ground.

"Look at me," I order the boy.

The boy did what he was told.

"What those people did, was not right. I am not like that," I tell the fearful boy.

He nods.

"Can I please have some of your food? My brother will not share with me."

 _Who would of thought? There is a pair of siblings here._

I hand the boy my supper. In the corner of my eyes, I can see the lost boys went back to their activities.

I was tempted to tell the boy not to expect that to happen often. But I kept my mouth shut.

 _Besides, this gives me an excuse to go back into the jungle again._

"What is your name,"? I ask the young boy.

"Bunny," he responds with his mouth full. "Andwatyornae."

"Excuse me,"?

The boy gulps down his food. "I said my name is Bucky, and what is your,"?

"Anna," I respond.

Trying not to be noticed anymore, I stood up and left the camp while repeatedly looking back to make sure the little boy was not following me.

After a while I was able to catch another rabbit. After years of gathering my own food, my stomach is no longer sensitive to eating someone that was alive ten minutes before I caught it. I decide to cook the rabbit on my usual spot, close to the cave.

As I cook the rabbit, a shadow goes over the fire.

I look up expecting to see a cloud. But no, I see a shadow, heading toward the direction of the cave. After it passes, I go back to focusing on my supper.

Then it hit me.

I now remember Baelfire telling me he was going to the cave tonight.

Thoughts rush through my mine. I try to tell myself he will be fine. The shadow floats around the island randomly. But I have this gut feeling telling me to check things out. What worries me is what I have heard the shadows do to their enemies.

 _Eating can wait._

Without taking the fire out, I run toward the cave. And sure enough, the shadow is covering right above it.

 _Is it spying for Pan?_

I look down to see what the shadow pulling a dark shadow from a body. I instantly realize it is Baelfire who is screaming in agony. My mind goes frantic on deciding what to do. On the corner of my eye, I see a bow and arrows laying on the ground a few feet away from me. Without considering my chances of missing I pick up the bow and an arrow and aim for the shadow.

 _The arrow will just go through the shadow. Think of something else!_

With the adrenaline pumping, it takes all of my will strength to focus. I recall the past experiences I had with the shadow. Suddenly, I knew what to do. But I need to be quick. I quickly make a small fire. A scream of pain pushes me to go faster. After a few seconds I was able to get the tip of the arrow on fire. Closing my eyes, I listen to the to the ripping, I aim for the noise and shoot.

There is a sudden screech coming from the shadow. I opened my eyes to see a circle of fire burning of the shadow. As I rush to Baelfire the shadow flies away still making its screeching noise. I place one of Baelfire's arm over my neck, and half-drag, half-carry him inside the cave.

I use my strength to lay him on his blanket. He moans in pain as I check his head and hear his heart. He seems fine. I tear a piece off my blanket and drench it in water. Placing on top of his forehead, he opens his eyes halfway.

"Close your eyes, and sleep," I say a little more stern then I wanted it to be.

 _Did it attack Baelfire because of me?_

If Pan is behind this, he will regret the second that he laid eyes on me. But right now, I need to take care of Baelfire.

After a few hours of making sue Baelfire is comfortable, he seemed to be a bit traumatized, but ok.

"Why did the shadow attack you,"? I ask Baelfire. I know that I should have not asked suddenly.

"I do not know anything," he replies.

"Baelfire, I am sorry to say, but I know you are lying."

I look him the eye.

"It is my fault, isn't it,"?

"No," he responds. "It was a misunderstanding."

"Saying it was a misunderstanding does not explain why you were screaming in agony five hours ago."

He says nothing.

Not repeating the question because of the expression of his face. I do not think he fully understood whatever the shadow told him.

"Will you be ok if I left,"? I ask Baelfire now remembering the rabbit I left on the fire.

"I will be ok," Baelfire says.

Leaving the camp, my thoughts go the attack earlier in the night. The fire spot I left had a little light left. The rabbit had been burnt to the crisp. But my mind is deep inside my thoughts.

I left the fire again, but this time, it was for good news.

 **Back to the past…**

I have cannot be sure how long I have been here. There is no window for sunlight, and there is no clock to be seen. My body is weak thanks to the lack of food and water given to me. I cannot describe the smell. Only that it is the worst thing I have ever encountered. The only good thing that comes out of this is time to gather my conscious and figure out what is going on. I had to get over the fact that magic was real, and the people holding me captive were fairies. I need to find out more. But the only other person who would know what is going on would be my father. But he is reasonable for giving me to my captor in the first place.

I am just feel plain miserable. There way too many things in my life I took for granted. Any visit, even from the Lady in Blue would be nice. Because I have isolated, I am going to get insane. And after a couple of days of restless nights, I am on the brick of malnourishment.

I close my eyes as I lay on the hard, stone floor.

My eyes open quickly as I hear a big BANG!

I see a girl being dragged by two men, screaming, kicking, and throwing her hands everywhere.

"Put her in with the other one," a woman's voice said. It took me a second to realize it was the woman in blue's voice.

I need to find another name. The woman in blue is a bit too long.

My mind is put back to focus when I here a big door to my prison open and the girl is thrown in. She runs back, but the door instantly shuts. Instead of giving up, like I expected her to do. She bangs are the door repeatedly.

After a while of banging, the girl finally slumps on the floor, and for the first time, she notices she is not the only one in this cell. We both stare at each other. The girl has dark, brown hair. Her clothes are odd, she is wearing a ragged dress with some tight pants under it. It is so filthy, I cannot tell the original color of it.

"Didn't see you there."

I just glare at girl with my eyes widened.

"My name is Ava," she says extending her hand out.

"Eleanor," I say shaking her hand.

"How long have you been here,"? she asks me.

"I do not know; there is no way of tracking time."

"What were you imprisoned for,"? Ava asks.

I knew this question was going to come up.

"I do not…,"

"Look," the girl says. "I have gotten the opportunity to study body langue. So please, do not try to lie to me."

"I was told….," I take a deep breath. "They told me that I am dangerous." After I finished that sentence, the girl's expression softens.

"Who told you that,"? the girl asks me taking a seat next to me.

"It was a lady with frizzy hair and-."

"always wears blue,"? the girl interrupts me.

I nod.

"Do not believe anything she says. Have you committed any crime,"?

I shake my head.

"I believe you. And if this makes you feel any better, I am in here for committing no crime but being born."

"Maybe you broke a law that you did not know existed," I suggest.

"No," she responds. "All the laws are pretty strait forward. And you would know that."

 _No, I wouldn't._

"Where are you from,"? the girl ask.

There was a short pause.

"If you wanted to keep that fact that you are not from here, I would work on your poker face."

Then she looks down.

"And I would change my clothes."

 _Poker face?_

"I am from South Carolina, United States of America."

"Never heard of that place," Ava admits.

"You probably have not, I did not know this place excited until days ago."

"Is there any chance you're from the Land without Magic,"?

"Well, where I am from a world that does not have magic."

"How-," Then the girl makes realization. "I know I am getting off top here; have you tried any escape attempts,"?

Shaking my head, I say, "There is no possible way, the people here have magic," I whisper.

"So what if they have magic? They are not impossible to beat! My brother was able to escape them," Ava admits.

"How,"?

She bites her lip, "We were supposed to escape together," she mumbles. I cannot tell if she is talking to me our herself "But something unpredictable happened."

"How close are you to your brother,"? I ask Ava.

"Well, he is in some ways, my best friend. But he does get in my nerves sometimes. He is a book worm and gets overprotective," she says pausing.

"You know what? Maybe I am better off not finding my way back to him. What about you? Do you have any family you are trying to get back to,"? she asks me quickly bringing the question back to me.

I shake my head thinking about my father.

She stands up and feels the metal.

"What are you doing,"? I ask Ava.

"There is a reason why they do not leave us with guards. This metal is all they need to contain us. But a brilliant mind recently discovered how to weaken it. Luckily, the brilliant mind decided to share her discoverer in case something like this would happen," the girl explains.

"Even if you can get out of this cell, how are you going to escape the doors,"?

"I will make it up as I go." Then she changes the subject. "By the looks of it, they do not feed you enough. How often did they feed you,"?

I shake my head, "Like I told you earlier, I cannot tell time here. I was fed a total eleven times since I have been here."

"I have to get out fast," I hear Ava mumble to herself. "I cannot escape if I am malnourished."

Hours went by slowly. The only difference now is that I have a cell mate. I hope this keeps me from becoming mad from being totally isolated. As for the girl, she spends her time moving around the cell, looking for what I guess are weak spots. After for what it felt like hours more, food magically appears in front of us. Today's menu is porridge, a banana, and one cup of water for both me and Ava. The girl grabs her water and splashes it on the wall.

"Please work, please work, please work," Ava keeps repeating to herself. She slows down her breathing, and points to the wall were the water is. Ava moved her hands in weird directions. The water seemed to be breaking the wall.

 _She has magic._

The wall is making a large hole that is gradually becoming larger.

 _If she has magic, then why is she not being guarded?_

The hole is big and wide enough for me to see into another room. Ava wastes no time climbing the hole that is a foot above the floor. All I could do it pray that she will not get caught.

A few seconds later, she pops her head inside the cell. "Are you coming,"?

As I shake my head, I realize I will get in trouble anyway for having a hole in the wall.

"They will be coming, we need to leave. Now," Ava states.

I get from my spot in the corner and take Ava's offered hand, and step through the hole. My skirt does not making any of this easy. The outside was like a building on a cloud. I look down, but I could see no ground.

Ava gripped my hand tighter and pulled me into running. She suddenly stops and ducks behind a large bush. I can see between the gaps between the branches a few people talking. There are four people talking, I recognize two. The lady and blue, and…. My father.

Someone tugs me back to focus. "We need to move," Ava half-whispers, half-hisses.

She crawls through the plants. I follow her. Thinking about it, I never would have crawled exactly six months ago. Then again, during that time period, I never would of thought magic existed. After a minutes of crawling, the girl halts. Ava picks up a small bag off the ground and opens it up.

"Just are luck," the smiling girl whispers to me.

"What is in the bag,"? I ask Ava trying not to sound nervous.

"This will make us fly," she responds.

"I have never- wait, have you ever done this before,"?

"No," she admits. "But my brother has showed me it and explained how to use it."

 _That does not make me any less nervous._

"Do not worry, only one of us needs to know how to do this. All you need to do is not let go," Ava ensures. "Now stay still and close your eyes."

I close my eyes tight. A second later I feel a substance being blown into my face. I feel light and I have bubbly feeling inside me. Opening up my eyes, I see Ava is sprinkling a bright, sparkly substance on herself.

"Whatever you do, do not let go, no matter what," Ava says standing up.

Standing up, I grab Ava's sleeve. That exact moment, Ava floats a few inches off the ground, I look down and I realize that I am also floating. I instantly let go, but before I can fall, Ava grabs my sleeve.

"How about I hold onto you instead," she says.

"I think that will be best," I respond. I look behind me to see if anyone is scrambling to find us, but odd enough, I see no one.

"Are you afraid of heights,"? Ava asks me.

I nod.

"Close your eyes, it will make this easier for the both of us."

The wind blows on my face as I feel myself moving. My mental part of me refuses to let me open my eyes. After what it feels like hours, I feel my feet hit solid ground.

"You can open your eyes now."

The first thing I notice is the color green, a color I have not seen in a long time. The field I am in is an ocean of grass with a few trees here and there.

"I never thought I would be excited to see grass," Ava says.

I sit slump down, feeling something fresh for the first time in a long time.

"I hate to be the one to say this, but we need to get going, I am surprise to see no bounty hunters down here," Ava speaks up.

Ava gives her hand out to me, and I grab it. She starts walking, and I follow her.

"Do you know were your going,"? I ask Ava.

She nods, "There is a place me and my brother were supposed to go right before I was captured."

"Is it far away from this place,"?

"No, only about six miles west from here."

 _Six miles not far from here? I have never walked six miles straight!_

The next hour did go by fast. Ava told me about her brother and how he much he likes books. She lived with her parents, but she never was really close to them.

"What was life before you were imprisoned,"? Ava asks me.

"Well… I have a father, and a stepmother. No siblings."

"Did you have any friends,"?

"Months ago, there was girl who came and helped me with my schoolwork. I guess….,"

"Wait, did you say schoolwork,"?

I nod.

"What is your family name,"?

"Turner, why,"? I ask Ava.

"Surely you know only privileged families get to learn things such as reading, writing, and poetry. And I do recognize that family name. Where are from again,"? Ava asks me.

"Ummm….," I am not sure what to say, "Frell, South Carolina.

"I believe I have heard someone mention that name before," Ava says.

"I highly doubt that. Where I live is not well known"

The next few hours was spent with Ava trying to make small to personal talk with me. I feel bad because I am slowing her down. Besides the fact I am not fit, I am week from the past few weeks of malnutrition. Ava quickly notices this, and she stopped to give me food. The food was berries that Ava said she was positive that it was not poison. Lucky for me, she is right.

"We are here," Ava says halting. It is hours past nightfall, and I am ready to slump down. My surroundings are no different than what I saw all day; trees and grass. The only way I can tell apart the two places is a large pond a few yards away from me.

"How can you tell," I ask her.

"The pond," she responds. "It is significant to me and my brother."

"Ava," I say sweetly. "Is there a certain time or day you and your brother supposed to meet,"?

"Just whenever we could make it," she responds.

I notice her stumbling while she says that.

"Ok, that I was lie. I was supposed to leave with my brother, but we got separated. But he told me, if anything happened, meet him here."

 _ **Thunk!**_

I frieze up, but Ava turns around to see what caused the noise. Her eyes widen and she runs toward that direction. I get myself together, and I turn around to Ava hugging a boy.

 _Must be her brother._

"Are you hurt,"? the boy asks Ava.

She shakes her head.

"I was going to go after you," the boy admits. "And luckily, my gut told me to travel through this path."

"were you going to get help-,"

"Who are you,"? the boy asks me now glaring directly at me.

"Her name is Eleanor," Ava says stepping in between us both. "When the fairies captured me… well, she was in the same cell with me. And I could not leave her there."

The boy steps up to me. "Are spying for the other side,"?

"No," I respond in a shaky voice.

"I do not believe you," the Ava's brother says.

"Nathan," I hear a girls voice says behind him. "I have meet this girl before. She is no spy, and I doubt she knows what is going on."

I try to get a good look at this fourth person walking out, but it is too dark.

"And for the last time, _try_ not to get ahead of me."

"Morgan," Ava squealed with excitement. She runs to hug the older girl. Even if I cannot see well, I can tell the older girl does not share the excitement.

"Ava," the girl named Morgan says. "I know you have been through a lot. But I need you and Eleanor to tell me everything that happened to you both the moment you stepped inside the fairy territory."

 **Neverland:**

I stare at the view of the ocean. Sitting with my knees up, and my hands wrapped around them, listening to the sounds of the waves.

"There you are," Baelfire's voice says as he sits next to me. "I did not get a chance to thank you for saving me."

"Forget it; you would have done the same to me."

"I guess I would, but I think I should cut to the chase; what you thinking about,"?

"What do you mean,"?

"You only go walking or to the beach if you are having deep thoughts."

Not being able to hold it in, I say "I think I discovered a way off the island."

 **Hey guys (and girls). Because of computer issues, the flashbacks were more frequent then I hoped them to be. Reading other fanfiction books, I honestly do not reading flashbacks, but I like writing about them. I understand that this is probably confusing for everyone, but everything will be understood.**


	11. Others Like Me

"Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking." ― **Bernard M. Baruch**

 **Past…**

"Ava," the girl named Morgan says. "I know you have been through a lot. But I need you and Eleanor to tell me everything that happened to you both the moment you stepped inside the fairy territory."

Ava gulps. "When—Wait," Ava says as if she is making a realization. "How do you know her name,"?

"We have met before," Morgan responds.

I know no one by the Morgan. The girl steps to were I can directly see her.

"I have meet you before, but I remember your name being Molly."

"Oh! Sorry about that,"! The girl instantly apologizes. "I thought it would be best if I changed my name to one common in your world."

When I thought things were making since, I just discovered the girl who used to help me with school work knows about magic. Can this past few weeks be any more confusing?

"How long have you known about, um magic,"? Morgan asks me.

"A few weeks at the least," I respond.  
"Can you tell me what happened,"? Morgan asks sweetly.

"My… my.. fath…," I try to tell her what happened, but instead, tears form in my eyes. I feel arms around me. _I am being hugged. I have never been hugged before._

"You are welcomed to join us. We are going somewhere safe," Morgan tells me.

"Morgan, can you really trust her,"?

"I think I already told you that she has nothing to do with the other side," Morgan says sternly pulling away from the hug.

"My answer to bringing her is still no," Nathan says.

"Well I think she should come with us. And we beat you two to one," Ava tells her brother referring the votes to herself, and Morgan.

After that settlement, Morgan leads me to another spot while she takes a look at me.

"I do not remember you being this thin," she says. She pulls out something from her bag and hands it to me.

"What is this,"? I ask her.

"A banana," she replies handing food to Ava.

I look closely at the fruit; indeed, it is a banana. Being starved, I unwrap and take a huge bite. With a nearly empty stomach, almost everything tastes good. As I eat, Morgan lights a lantern.

"You have any more,"? I ask Morgan after I am done eating a banana.

"We need to be careful; it is unhealthy to eat too much if you have been living on an empty stomach," Morgan says giving me a flask. "And you need to make sure to drink enough water."

"We need to start heading out," Nathan announces.

"Come on," Morgan says softly. I follow the Ava, Nathan, and Morgan.

"How can you tell your going in the right direction,"? I ask directly to Morgan.

She either does not here me or pretends not to.

"She has been through this land many times," Ava whispers going to my side.

I purposely slow down a little and Ava does the same.

"How did you get break the wall in the cell,"? I ask her.

"I have a certain type of magic," she explains.

"Then why were they not guarding you,"? I ask the girl.

"They do not know I have magic. I, myself did not discover it until recently. But trust me, if they knew, my situation would have been worse," Ava admits. "Nathan told me to keep it quiet and only use it if is absolutely necessary."

"We should suttle in in for the night," Morgan announces.

Nathan and Morgan open up their bags and take out rope and blankets. Before I know it, there is a makeshift tent in front of me.

"Sleeping arrangements will be tight, but we will make do," Morgan says. Before I do anything, Morgan pulls me on the side.

"I know things here are different, but I personally will make sure….,"

"Morgan," I say interrupting. "What am I to do? Is there any way I can back to America,"?

She shake her head. "I am sorry. I going to your realm was extremely hard."

Not the answer I was expecting.

"Why were you acting as a girl who wanted to help me with my schooling,"? I finally ask Morgan.

"I owe someone a favor," she responds.

"Who,"? I ask her.

"To you, I do not know yet," she respond.

After a short silence, she changes the subject. "It is too late to get you cleaned off. First thing tomorrow, you and Ava will get a washing."

She leads me into the tent and points to the spot between her and Ava. I lay myself on a thick blanket between the two girls. I never though that a blanket on the ground would be so comfortable.

"Are you comfortable,"? Morgan asks me.

"Beats the floor of the cell I was in," I respond.

"Maybe I was a bit too rushed asking you and Ava what happened back there." Then Morgan looks at us both. "Just tell me when you think your ready, OK,"?  
"If you want to know, I can tell you," Ava says. Then both sets of eyes are placed on me.

"I think I can open up enough to tell," I finally say. "I can stay up and…,"

"You need to rest," Morgan interrupts softly.

"I am not too tired myself," Ava says. "And I would be more comfortable telling you without my brother pointing out everything I _could_ have done instead," Ava announces.

"First of all, your brother loves you and you know that. Secondly, are you not exhausted,"? Morgan says.

"I was exhausted of traveling, but I cannot lay down and sleep," she responds.

"If you think you are ready, go ahead," Morgan says giving up the battle.

"The escape than was going well at first, but after I got my things together to leave my home. Before I could sneak out of the window, a loud siren came out of nowhere. The law enforcers found me in my bedroom as if they were immune. They kept me blindfolded until I was at the base. They are getting stronger, I tried to fight them, but I couldn't. They put in me in a cell with Anna made up of Rhenium," Ava explains. I look over at Morgan to see she is getting pale.

"How did you escape,"? Morgan asks her.

"I took a cup of water, and splashed liquid on it, and I forced it crumple using air magic," Ava explains. "Luckily they do not know I contain that type of magic. Me and Eleanor got out and with the odds against us, I found fairy dust on the ground. Then we walked to the area we agrees to meet at. And you know the rest"

I really hope Morgan understand, because I certainly do not.

"Wait, were did you find fairy dust at,"? Morgan asks Ava.

Ava shrugs, "the ground."

"You know, chances are is that they left it there on purpose," Morgan states.

"And why would they do that," Ava asks.

"I do not know. That just seems suspicious."

After I short silence, I decide to speak up.

"One day, my father came home from a business trip. He told me to meet him in the basement. He then threw something on the ground and a green whirlpool appeared and we jumped. The next thing I know I am in a prairie. He eventually knocks me out and I wake up in a room sitting down. A lady comes in and tells me I am dangerous and needed to be locked up. She told me that my father gave me to her. After that, I was locked in a cell. I am not sure how long. Then I meet Ava, and she told you what happened afterwards."

"Do you why the lady said you are dangerous,"? Morgan asks me.

I shake my head.

"Eleanor, do you know who your birth mother is,"? Morgan asks me.

I shake my head again.  
"Do you think-," Ava starts.

"I do not know for sure, but chances are, she is," Morgan replies.

 _What are they talking about?_

"Would make sense," Ava points out.

"Please remember that I am still new to everything that is going on," I say.

"I am so sorry," Morgan apologizes. "We were thinking that you were a half-breed."

"I heard that word be mentioned before," I admit.

"It is nothing to be ashamed of," Morgan ensures me. "You just means you have parents who are not exactly the same species as each other. I think it is safe to say I am one. My father was a mermaid and my mother was human."

My eyes widen when she says that.

"Go ahead and asks," she says.

"When you said mermaid, were you referring to the creatures who look half fish, half-human"? I ask her. As soon as I said that, I realize that probably was offensive.

"Yep," she responds.

"Since we are letting everything out, I am half-fairy, half-human," Ava admits.

 _Why did I even think things were starting to make sense?_

"And that is the reason I was locked up," Ava says.

"That does not make much sense," I admit.

"Its crazy, I know," Ava says. "But the king was able to convince the people that we are dangerous people."

"How can they tell if you're a half-breed,"? I ask Ava.

"They made a weapon. They take a sample of your blood and place on the object. If the object turns green, you are not a pure blood of any kind," Ava explains. "At least that's how they used to it. But something new and scary was invented recently. I am not sure how it works, but it supposed to tell you if you're a half-breed immediately."

"Wow, you know a lot," I say.

"Well, Morgan told me all of this," Ava admits. I look over to Morgan to see her nodding.

"And how do you know this without ever being caught,"? I ask her.

"I have been living with a group of half-breeds in hiding. Because of their hiding status, it is important for them to know what they need to avoid imprisonment," Morgan admits. "And that is where we are heading."

"Will they except me,"? I ask Morgan. "I believe I am pure human. I do not feel otherwise."

"Do not worry," she says squeezing my hand. "Firstly, because they never turn down anyone who needs their help. And secondly, I know no half-breed who feels different feelings than humans."

After an awkward silence, Ava breaks the silence by saying, "Where is Nathan going to sleep at,"? she asks Morgan.

"He is sleeping on a blanket, not in the tent. He agreed to take first watch; when he gets tired, I will take watch," she says extinguishing the lantern.

I am tired and I need to get some sleep, but my mind is full of thoughts keeping me up. _Who sent Morgan? Why does Nathan have a sudden hate for me?_

The next think I know, I am being shaken awake. Weirdly, I do not feel sleepy.

Opening my eyes, I see Ava leaning over me.

"Come on! We are going to get washed off," she says. I feel the grime and dirt that has been on me for weeks. A rinsing would be nice. I leave the tent were Morgan ushers me to a lake.

I have no idea why I was hoping for privacy.

"I think we are safe for now," Morgan says looking around. Ava lifts up her tights a little pass her knees and her sleeves pass her elbows. She then takes a rag and water and starts to scrub herself. Morgan hands me a rag and socked it with water. I am a little resistant of lifting my skirt.

 _Privacy is a privilege that I cannot have here._

The sleeves I peel off are slimy. Just by looking at it, I cannot tell it was once white. I wipe away the grime and dirt.

"Feels good, doesn't it,"? Ava asks me from my side.

"Yes," is all I say.

"When you are done," Morgan says from behind me. "I have clothes for you. They are probably too big for you. But we will make it work."

In less than a minute, I finish wiping my face and legs. We head back to camp; Morgan and Ava let me get dress in the tent. The clothes consist of a dark purple shirt and black pants. The shirt is soft against my skin and goes down to mid-thigh. The black pants is also soft and loose around my wait and goes a little pass my knees. The shoes are black and cover my feet.

"Would you like me to brush your hair,"? Ava asks me when I come back to sight.

 _No one has ever offered to brush my hair in years…._

"If you want to, you can," I respond.

Soon after Ava makes me feel almost fresh again, we start to move on again. Unsurprisingly, Morgan and Nathan are fast packers.

"How far is this place we are going to again,"? Ava asks Nathan.

"Not that far, we should reach there after night fall tonight," he responds.

 _What is a long distance for these people?_

I know I should not eavesdrop, but it is extremely hard to since the four of us are close to each other and there is nothing else to listen to.

"Do you have family who lives there,"? I ask Morgan trying to stay out of Ava and Nathan's conversation

"No," she responds. "But the lady in charge, her name is Melissia, treats me as if I am her daughter."

The time went by moving conversations between Ava and Morgan. Nathan does not seem to want me to talk to me. We stop only for lunch that consisted of a meat that I did not bother to ask what it was. Night fall came, but instead of stopping for the night, but Nathan insisted we kept going.

"We are here," Morgan announces holding up her lantern. All I can see is an old shack.

Morgan opens the door and hand motions us to follow her. The only light is a lantern that Morgan lights. She then opens a board on top of the floor. She walks down holding the lantern.

"Ava, go after her," Nathan says lighting the room again with a lantern.

Ava looks annoyed, but she stays quiet and goes down the cellar. I go to follow her, but I feel myself being pushed against the wall and an elbow against my upper chest.

"If you think about hurting my sister in anyway, think again. Morgan and Ava may think you are week, but do not think you can trick me for a moment," Nathan hisses.

 _Does he really thinking me, a thirteen-year-old, working for the people who mistreated me?_

"I understand," I say quickly.

He lets go and I go down the staircase. It reminds me of the basement back home. Expect the stairs here are narrow and the path down is longer. Ava and Morgan are there waiting for me and Nathan at the bottom. There awaits an opening door. The first I notice walking in the door is light and the smell of cleanliness. There are people of different ages; some are holding sheets and clothes, some are holding children's hands.

"It's Morgan,"! I hear someone shout.

A middle-aged woman with brown hair and looks tired walks to us.

"You three, stay here," Morgan orders us as she ushers Melissa to the side of the room.

"She is probably explaining why she brought someone extra," Ava says.

Before long, Morgan and Melissia walks back to us.

"We have beds, food, and clothes for you three, follow me," Melissia says seeming to be unhappy about something. Morgan leads us to another room with white, stone walls and beds on side by side. Most of them was a bed topped by another.

"What is Melissa upset about,"? Ava asks Morgan.

"It has nothing to do with three. I told her I was going to bring a couple of people who were endangered here. She asked me to bring no others, but I did. She also asked me not to risk my life, which I also did," Morgan explains.

This shocks me. Morgan does not seem at all to be a rule breaker.

"Let us not worry about that. In the basket, there are clothes for girls in different sizes," Morgan says pointing to a basket on the side of the room. "Nathan, follow me to the boys sleeping area."

As they leave the room, Nathan points at his eyes, then points to me.

"He threatened you, didn't he,"? Ava asks.

I nod. No use lying to her.

"Like I said before, he is overprotective, do not worry about it," Ava says pulling me by my arm to the clothes basket.

She helps me pick out clothes. I have never seen clothes like this. I put on a green short sleeve shirt with brown pants that go all the way down to my ankles. I keep the shoes Morgan gave me. Minutes later, a girl came in took me and Ava to a washing room where we got actual bathes with privacy. The soap I have is hard but smells good. And getting the grease, dirt and grime out of my hair never felt so good on my scalp.

"Girls, finish up, we are going to eat before going we rest for the night," I hear Morgan announce.

The rest of the night was silent. We ate a tasteless salad with a bit of chicken. The nice thing is the food is fresh and the water is cool. The sleeping room is full of females of all ages. I learned that the beds on top of each other are called bunk beds. Ava offered to take the top one. Unsurprisingly, the blanket is old but is the most comfortable think I have slept in a long time.

Morgan wakes me up when I just felt like I closed my eyes. Breakfast was eggs and milk and after that, an adult then took about sixteen mix of teenagers and kids outside to pick fruits. I did not recognize many of the berries or leaves; I just picked what they told me to. Afterword's, they play a game of ball while I sit out and talk to Ava and Morgan.

The next few weeks seemed to be in a tight schedule. In fairness, I have to remind myself these people are in hiding and have to be careful whenever they go outside. But surprisingly, they go outside more often then I thought they would.

I am right now going to the kitchen to get a glass of water. The routine of waking up middle of the night for water has been happening since a few nights after I arrived. I am so used to the path that I know the path without any light to guide me.

When I go back to bed, I feel a hand grab me. Before I could shout, a hand goes over my mouth. "Shhh!," I hear someway say softly. It is Ava.

"Do you by any chance feel like you cannot fall asleep anytime soon,"? Ava asks me taking her hand off my mouth.

"Yes," I whisper back.

"Follow me," she says softly grabbing my wrist now and pulling to another room.

"I am going outside, would you like to accompany me,"? Ava asks stopping in the kitchen.

"is that allowed,"?

"Morgan and Melissia told us that we can leave if we want to," Ava says.

"I think she meant that we are not prisoners," I point out not wanting to admit the main reason is because I am scared.

"Come on, we will be outside for less than an hour. Plus, if we are endangered, we can just go back inside," Ava urges.

I do not say anything. I just there feeling nervous.

"Just five minutes," the eager girl says at this point begging.

"Alright, I will go," I say after feeling a bit pressured.

"It will be worth it," she says heading outside using the very little light of a candle. But the hardest part was going up the creaky stairs. Every time a step made a sound, I would freeze for a few seconds. Sometimes Ava would have to bring my mind back to focus. After a nerve-racking hour, or at least it felt that long, we made it to the door that leads to the outside.

Being outside at night is nice. The weather is a bit too cool for my sleep wear, but besides that, the weather feels perfect.

"The weather is hardly this nice. I wanted to show you that this land is not completely terrible," Ava admits.

"I never thought the land was terrible, just the hospitality," I admit.

"Everyone here is going through a rough time. Family betrayals seem to be common. That is why me and Nathan knew we had to leave.

"To top things off, the leaders are very discriminative," Ava says finishing off.

"Is there anyone with some power who can stop them from being the rulers,"? I ask Ava.

She shake her head. "Everyone who has any power is corrupt."

"Has there been any rebellions,"?

"I am supposed to believe there was, but I think that the uprising made up to blame us," Ava replies.

I say nothing and look around with only the candle and the stars as light. _We have been walking for a long time._

"Ava, how long have we been out here,"?

"I do not know, but we should probably head back," she replies.

We turn around and head toward the other direction.

"If I am not at the bunker before the sun is up, my brother is going to kill me," Ava says a bit fearfully.

 _I do not think it is Ava who needs to worry about being killed from her brother if we are not back in time._

After walking for a few more minutes, Ava says, "I think we walked to far."

"You want to turn around and go back the other direction,"? I ask Ava.

"We might just have to stay were we are and wait for the sun to come," Ava says. _Our absence will be known by then._ I hear the movement of her sitting down and I do the same. The is the first time I gave my attention to the candle went out and we only have the dim stars light.

"Do have any questions you been wanting to ask,"? Ava asks me assuming for passing time.

"How do you and Nathan meet Morgan since he does not open up often,"? I ask her.

"Nathan was the one who got introduced us both. Find confidence to talk to him," she replies.

It felt like hours, well it probably was before the sun came up. I think I took a couple of quick minute naps every now and then. As soon as the smallest light of the sunrise was visible, we stood up and start studying the area.

"Recognize anything," Ava asks me. I shake my head.

"I am so sorry, we are lost, and it is my fault," Ava says with remorse in her voice. "We can either stay right where we are or, look around for the bunker or someone from there."

We ended up deciding to look around the area. But everywhere looks the same. This makes me wonder how anyone can find the bunker. Five minutes after we stand and leave, I hear something getting slammed on a tree. I look over to Ava to see her eyes widen.

"It may just me being paranoid, but I think we are being followed," she whispers.

"They can hear us," another voice whispers. I

t was not me or Ava; it came from someone else.

"We need run," Ava whispers. We both take off toward a direction.

I am the first one to stop running and fall on the ground panting.

"Who do you think that was,"? I ask Ava

"Someone dangerous. Even if he was not a bounty hunter, the only people who go of their village are dangerous in different ways. Ava explains. "Some are slave traders and…"

She gets interrupted by another tree slam.

We both stay frozen laying on the ground. The sounds of footsteps coming near us scares me. I slowly turn my head to see two, tall teenage boys a good twenty feet away from us. They glare at me and Ava as if they are confused.

"Do you guys know were a place called the "bunker" is at,"? one of them asked. The other boy grabs his shoulder and whispers something to him. Me and Ava glare at each with widen eyes. We do know what they are referring to. These boys look innocent enough, but we were warned not to tell a single soul were the bunker is without the other person knowing the safe words.

"Are you guys going bunkers,"? the other boy asks me and Ava.

I bite my lip from laughing; the safe words were randomly made by a teenager. Something that would not be guessed by another person at random.

"Proudly was, and always will be," one of the boys respond. I look at Ava and she responds.

"We are lost," Ava admits as I sit up. "I am afraid we are waiting for someone from the bunker will find us."

"Do you know by any chance a girl named Morgan,"? one of them asks.

"Does she have blond hair,"? I ask standing up.

"Yes," one of them says with a little excitement in his voice.

"Everyone seems to know her," Ava says also standing up.

The boys and me and Ava walk over to each other. Both of the boys are tall. One has orange hair with freckles all over the face, the other is a bit taller and has blond hair. Both were wearing similar clothes. Brown shirt that goes to their elbows, and brown trousers that goes down to their knees.

"Where did you too come from,"? Ava asks the teenagers. "Or am I asking questions a little too personally,"?

"Just a little," the orange hair boy responds.

"There you two are," I hear a voice say. Morgan.

She runs towards and turns around to look at the two boys. She then runs to hug them as if they are long lost family. Nathan is right behind her and pulls Ava to the side having a silent conversation.

"Guys, I love seeing you two here, but why did leave home,"? Morgan asks them breaking away from the hug. _They are probably family._

"The threat is getting worse; we were told to join or leave," the orange hair boy answers.

"And I see that you two, Eleanor and Ava have been inquinate," Morgan says.

The turn to me and one of them asks, "Are you Ava,"?

"Eleanor," I correct.

"Joshua," the orange hair boy says handing his hand out for me shake. But I do not take it.

"Jonathon," the tall, blond boys says with a little softness in his voice.

"I think we should carry this discussion while heading back to the bunker," Morgan announces loud enough for Ava and Nathan to hear.

"Perhaps that is best," Joshua.

Heading back, there are two conversations being held. One is between Ava and Nathan, the other is between Morgan, Joshua, and Jonathon. Stuck in the middle, I am getting bits of pieces of each group. Nathan is telling Ava never to pull that stunt again then promising she will never leave his sight again. When Morgan thinks that I am not listening to her, she is explaining to Jonathon and Joshua reasons why I am shy. I just keeping keep my head down and continue walking.

Someone's hand grabs my shoulder and I jump. It is Jonathon with a finger over his mouth signaling me to be quiet. There are noises of some people talking. Everyone's eyes are switching on each other. Jonathon grabs my wrist, and gently pulls me to a corner of a rock. A spot that you would have to surely look hard to find anyone. He tucks himself on the other side. Footsteps sound as if they are maximum two feet away from the hiding spot. It sounds like adults. I keep hearing words like "I heard voices," and "I swear I saw some teenagers." If feels like hours as the adults looking at other hiding spots, even looking over the rock me and Jonathon are hiding at. But they could not see us. The group consists of men and women wearing black pants, with a long sleeve top made of a material I have never seen.

I feel a shake on my shoulder, and a hand comes out to help me up. I take it and the group gathers again.

Ava is the first to speak. "Are they HBH's,"?

"Yes," Morgan says.

"What are HBH's,"? Josh asks.

"Short way of saying Half-Breed Hunters," Ava replies.

"We were told the Enchanted Forest was safer than-," Jonathon says before getting cut off.

"It was, but not anymore," Morgan says cutting him off.

"We should continue our way back," I hear Nathan's voice say.

Everyone follows Nathan and Morgan back to the bunker. The rest of the walk did not take long. The shack that leads to safety instantly makes me feel relieved. Morgan goes up to open up the door, but the door knob would not turn.

"They must have changed the locks," Morgan announces.

"Why would they do that if you were out,"? Ava asks.

"Why do you think they made sure that everyone knew that we would be inside all night,"? Morgan asks sounding frustrated. "Me and Nathan went out when it was still dark to look for you two."

She is right, the adults would tell us to stay inside, but then again, they told us that every night. They could no also risk not changing the locks if there are only four missing. They have plenty of others to worry the safety for.

"We cannot wait for them to realize we are missing and go searching for us; we are our own for now," she announces.

"We passed by a village on the way here. I can trade in a few things for supplies. And later, we can fish," Joshua announces.

"I will not surprised if I lose half my weight by next week because of how much we are walking," Ava groans.

No words were said as the older boys took the upon themselves to guide us to a village.

"Is this your first time going to a village in this realm,"? Morgan asks me breaking the silence. I am relived she calmed down.

"Yes, and I am a bit excited," I admit.

"Well, there are a few things you need to watch out for. Thieves, traffickers, and some will attack others for no reason at all. What I am getting at is to stay with one of me or the boys," Morgan says.

I read her message clear: Do not go out alone, and when you are with somebody, never let it be Ava.

Like they say, you learn something new every day.

 **Neverland:**

"Explain that again, I am confused," Baelfire says.

"We need to capture a shadow using fire, and force to fly us out. And like I said earlier, I am working on the details" I explain for the fourth time.

"I think Pan would notice if one of his shadows are missing," Baelfire points out.

"I thought about that, but the one of the deals was not to hurt you. And clearly it did. I thought at first Pan ordered it to. But it came to mind that he would not do anything that could kill either of us. And,"-

"I bet he would think that is hilarious," Baelfire interrupts.

"Continuing my thoughts, I think the shadow has a mind of its own," I say continuing.

"What if you are wrong,"? Baelfire questions me.

"I really thought you would be excited that I figured out a way to get off the island," I say ignoring the question.

"I think we should wait a little longer to execute that plan. See if we can come up with another idea that will not get us killed," Baelfire says.

"We can give ourselves thirty days. If nothing comes up by then, I will personally start on the plan," I say.

Thirteen days have passed, and I can tell Baelfire brain has been scrabbling for an idea to get off the island. So much so, I think the lost boys noticed something is off about him. No one wants him on their team for capture the flag, hide and find, or any one-on-one competitions.

The latest "game" that was played was to dare one another to eat something gross. Devin thought it would be funny to try to get me to eat a live worm. None of them were surprised that I refused to. I have been trying to keep a balance of the activities I do with the boys. But the game capture the flag is too fun to ignore. Mathew spent some of his time teaching me water plants that are edible, and little ways to make food taste better. The event I always leave for is dancing around the campfire which happens once a week. I do not like the feeling of blacking out and waking up and finding myself covered in sweat. Currently, the people on the island I cannot have a genial discussion are Peter Pan, and Felix. I stay away from the mermaids. As for the pirates, I have seen them, hiding behind bushes. The pirate known as Captain Hook proceeds his name. Another activity I stay way from is play pranks on them. But I will watch from a distance. From what I have heard, the pirates are doing Pan's "dirty work" in a deal that will get them off the island.

I wake up to a scream. This is common. The yells and screams now sound the same. I sit up on my makeshift bed in the cave. It takes a second to bit me that me hearing the yells this loud is not a good thing. Whenever I hear noise near the cave, I get all jumpy. It would not be the worst thing if the others know where the cave is, but I like the privacy. I grab my shoes and peak through a small hole, and I see no one. I splash water on my face, eat, and head to the camp.

Heading into camp, I notice that it is quiet. Something surprising because I was just listening to yells. Those thoughts are interrupted as I feel myself being thrown to the ground. I scramble to get up, but something, no someone is holding me down. Using all of my upper body strength, I turn so my stomach is facing up and I can see my attacker. Felix. I am not surprised, he only speaks to me with threats. He quickly places both of his knees on my hands with him sitting on me. Before I could comprehend anything else, he wraps his hands around my neck, choking me.

I struggle with all the energy have left. He weighs more than I do, and he is stronger. Odds are against me.

I try to open my heavy eyes, but there is no avail. I remember the feeling of weight forcefully coming off of me. I feel a churn in my stomach. The feeling of not being to fight back haunts me. I pride myself on being physically strong. I will not be surprised to see a huge, colored bruise circling my neck. Fairies have delicate necks, but that excluded me. Even for a human I have a strong neck. That is what probably what kept me from having more damage than a bruised neck.

Part of me wants to sleep, while my brain is telling me to get up. Bring my knees up, I notice a cloth was thrown over me for warmth. I sit up and open my eyes. I am under a tall tree and on top a pile of fresh, green leaves. I place the blanket off and off to the side I see familiar dark, curly hair. He is staring at the sunrise sitting with his arms around his knees. I walk over to him and soon as he turns to see I am awake, I hand him the blanket.

"I worry for you," Baelfire says without looking at me.

"I really hope you know that I did not start what happened back there."

"I figured as much. Felix hopefully will not bother you anytime soon. Pan saved you and pulled Felix over. I can tell the words between those two were not pleasant."

"If Pan did not bring me here in the first place, this would not be an issue."

I scoot right next to Baelfire to see what he is looking at. There is just a sunrise. My guess is that he was deep in thought before I woke up.

"Seeing you passed out was scary." Baelfire admits.

"I was nervous about your idea, but I am going to admit it is more dangerous to stay than to take risks of escaping."

All I do is nod.

 _Shouldn't I be happy that he finally came to his senses?_

"Have you planned out the details,"?

"Nothing more than I have explained to you," I say.

"Alright, I am going to get some sleep; I was up all night."

He hands me squashed berries over bread and then leaves. I eat as I head back to camp to do something stupid; confront Felix. As I enter the camp, eyes went to me, or more pacifically, at my colored neck. Before I can go far, Mathew walks to me.

"How you feeling,"?

"Could not be better."

"Do you think it is wise to be going to him so soon,"?

"I did not know any of you cared."

"Please stop acting like everyone is your enemy."

I bite my lip as he tells me this. I am trying to be kinder, but I still treat almost everyone as if I want nothing to do with them.

"Where is Felix,"?

"Are you sure it is wise trying to find me after what happened,"?

Felix is leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, smirking. If he has any remorse for his past actions, he is doing a great job hiding it.

"You think is wise to try and kill me again after what happened,"?

"You are no better than you were before this."

"Then tell me, what was I like,"? I ask folding my arms.

"Naïve, clumsy, pushy, annoying, and selfless."

 _Did he just complement me?_

"Why don't I remember anything,"?

"I do not know," Felix says in a calming voice.

"And I suppose you will not tell me about anything else."

"Depends, I can if you give me something later."

"You are not in the possession to make deals, especially after you just tried to kill me."

He shrugs, he places his face inches away from me.

"Look, I know you are desperate to put each piece of the puzzle together, and with my help, you can achieve it."

I step not feeling comfortable with both of how close he is to me, and the deal he is trying to make.

"Sounds appealing, but I am not in the mood to make any deals."

"Pan made it clear I cannot kill you, so I need to try a new tactic."

"Then I suggest you talk to someone who is _gullible_ and try to make a blind deal with him."

Walking away, I notice many of the boys seem surprise I am alive with working bones.

"Why did you have to go after him,"? Baelfire asks. We are currently outside the camp talking over a fire.

"I want to take back control of my life, and I am starting by figuring out why Felix has been wanting to kill me since the second we made eye contact."

"Please do not die while trying to do that."

"You do not need to worry about that."

His heavy breathing and the cracking of the fire was the only noise that could be heard.

"A boat," Baelfire says with a little excitement.

I look behind me and saw the pirate ship.

"What about it,"?

"That is our way out."

"Are you saying we ask the captain to help us? You were the one who said not to trust- Oh," I say realizing what he was saying.

"We can start tonight if you have no plans," I suggest.

"I do not and please try to keep it away from prying eyes."

"You do not have to tell me twice."

 **Thanks for reading!**


End file.
